WATCH: LeBron James and Dillon Brooks engage in awkward stare-down as Black Sabbath's hit plays in background

LeBron James and Dillon Brooks matched up for the first time after their epic 2023 NBA Playoff battle as the LA Lakers visited the Houston Rockets on Wednesday (November 8). James and Brooks rekindled their budding rivalry as the latter took the challenge of guarding the 'King' from the get-go.

The two played some old-school basketball, with extreme physicality in the post. Both had their fair share of success against each other and even produced a scene that could be straight out of a movie.

Before the teams returned to the floor after a timeout, James and Brooks were alone on the court, awkwardly staring at each other while Black Sabbath's 'Paranoid' song played in the background.

Here's a clip of this incident that drew fans' attention:

Earlier, Dillon Brooks even howled after getting a crucial stop against James. On the play before that, LeBron got the better of the former Grizzlies star after backing him down in the post.

Dillon Brooks' Rockets dominating LeBron James' Lakers

LeBron James and Dillon Brooks' matchup is a battle within the battle. The more significant battle, of course, is the LA Lakers-Houston Rockets contest. James vs. Brooks has been a 50-50 contest, but collectively, the Rockets have been head and shoulders above their opponents.

Houston grabbed a 21-point halftime lead. The Rockets haven't looked back since, maintaining their advantage. They were up by 25 midway through the third quarter.

LA are struggling with their 3-ball shooting again, having made only 5-of-17 shots from range through three quarters. LeBron James (18 points) and Rui Hachimura (15 points) have kept the Lakers in the game as they attempt to make a comeback down the stretch. LA has looked better in the second half but not good enough to reduce the point differential.

It's worth noting that the LA Lakers are severely shorthanded for this contest. They are missing star player Anthony Davis, starting forward Jarred Vanderbilt, backup center Jaxson Hayes and backup guard Gabe Vincent for this game. Those are impactful pieces for the team's schemes on both ends.