The NBA rivalry between Dillon Brooks and LeBron James has continued after the former was ejected for striking James’ groin during the the third game of the first-round playoff between Memphis Grizzlies and LA Lakers.
With the Grizzlies winning last Thursday to tie the series up 1-1, Brooks savaged James calling him ‘old’ post-match after attempting to stir up the NBA great.
The Lakers came out with a point to prove on Sunday (AEST) though, and immediately produced one of the greatest first quarters in team history.
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Los Angeles leaped to a 35-9 lead amidst one raucous ovation after another from fans eager for a return to the Lakers’ tradition of playoff success.
After all those first-quarter fireworks, not even Ja Morant could carry the Memphis Grizzlies all the way back to prevent the Lakers from seizing game three.
Anthony Davis had 31 points and 17 rebounds, James finished with 25 points after Brooks was ejected for the groin incident, and Los Angeles survived Morant’s 24-point fourth quarter to beat the Grizzlies 111-101 for a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series.
Los Angeles tied an NBA record by taking a 26-point lead into the second quarter, and Memphis couldn’t get closer than 13 points until the final two minutes.
Brooks was ejected 17 seconds into the second half after the Memphis agitator struck James in the groin while guarding him in he backcourt. While the top scorer in NBA history rolled on the court in pain, officials tossed Brooks after a brief video review — and James stood up and led the Lakers to victory.
“I didn’t make a statement,” James said. “I’ve been doing this too long. I’m not making any statements. We had the opportunity to come home and play well on our home floor, and we did that. No statement was made. We just wanted to play well, and we got a win. I don’t need to make statements.”
Game four is on Tuesday in Los Angeles.
Morant scored 45 points in his return from a one-game absence with a sore right hand.
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“I think we won by double digits in the last three quarters, so obviously that first quarter pretty much hurt us,” Morant said. “(I) feel pretty good, man. Obviously some stuff you’ve just got to play through and tolerate … In that fourth quarter, I was just trying to win the game. Got it going pretty good, making shots, and just couldn’t get it over that hump.”
With the Lakers’ sellout crowd booing his every move, Brooks had just seven points on 3-for-13 shooting before his ejection.
Brooks declined to speak to reporters after the game. Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins only commented tersely on Brooks’ ejection: “Officials made a call.”
Brooks is the only player in franchise history to be ejected from multiple playoff games. He has been ejected six times in his six-year career, and he served two suspensions this season for an accumulation of technical fouls.
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