“Protect my crown jewels” – LeBron James makes hysterical comment on altercation with Dillon Brooks

LeBron James made a hilarious comment about Dillon Brooks' Flagrant 2 foul against him during the LA Lakers' 111-101 Game 3 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday. Brooks hit James below the belt in the first minute of the third quarter, for which he was ejected.

The Grizzlies trimmed the Lakers' 29-point first-half lead to 16 points at that stage. Knowing how gritty the young Memphis team is, James kept his cool and focused on leading the Lakers to a comfortable win. Reflecting on the incident with Brooks, James told Spectrum SportsNet's Mike Trudell:

"There was a lot of game to be played when that incident happened. So just trying to get up, protect my crown jewels and move on to the next play."

The Memphis Grizzlies kept the LA Lakers on their toes the rest of the way. Ja Morant caught fire in the second half, scoring 29 of his game-high 45 points in that period. He shot 50.0%, made six 3s and converted 13-of-14 shots from the free-throw line.

Morant scored 22 consecutive points for the Grizzlies in the fourth. However, the Lakers showed their experience with championship-winning duo LeBron James and Anthony Davis leading their charge.

James had 25 points, nine rebounds and five assists, while Davis finished with 31 points, 17 rebounds and three blocks. The Lakers were able to keep a double-digit lead throughout the game and took a commanding 2-1 series lead with one more game at home before the series shifts back to Memphis for Game 5.

LeBron James doesn't fall for Dillon Brooks' bait

Game 3 was all about LeBron James' approach to the contest. Dillon Brooks tried to throw the LA Lakers superstar off his game, but James maintained his poise. Brooks called the NBA's all-time leading scorer "old." He also said LeBron wasn't as good as he was during his Cleveland and Miami days.

The Grizzlies star also indirectly challenged James to go on a scoring tear in Game 3 after claiming he doesn't respect players who won't drop 40 points against him. The Lakers may have struggled if LeBron made this game all about his battle with Brooks.

However, the 20-year veteran stuck to doing what he does best by making the right reads. LeBron James also played aggressive when needed, keeping the right balance, which was crucial to the grand scheme of things.

The LA Lakers' squad depth makes it easier for James to play as a facilitator. They have multiple options on offense, led by Anthony Davis. D'Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura have also made significant contributions in this series.