NBA
LeBron James got the last laugh against Dillon Brooks in the final second.
Brooks’ ill-advised steal on an inbounds pass allowed the Lakers star to easily drive to the rim, resulting in a foul and then James’ game-winning free throw.
James made two free throws and the Lakers led 105-104. Brooks missed a half-court shot and Los Angeles sealed the victory.
“I liked the way we fought back and kept fighting. We just didn’t play smart enough at the end,” Rockets head coach Ime Udoka said.
This is a crucial moment in a fierce showdown between rivals.
Earlier in the game, James was called for a technical foul after he walked past Brooks after being called for a foul. James extended his elbow to push the Houston forward away.
The battle between the two continued, with James hitting a floater late in the third quarter to give the Lakers an 81-75 lead and hitting Brooks with a “too small” celebration while he was on the bench. Several teammates also joined in.
The rivalry between the two dates back to last season’s playoffs, when Brooks was playing for the Memphis Grizzlies, and he went out of his way to make several comments about James.
Brooks called the four-time NBA champion “old” and that he “has no respect for anybody unless they come and give me 40 points.”
In Game 3, Brooks even hit James in the groin, leading to his own ejection.
Brooks signed a four-year, $80 million contract with the Rockets this offseason, and he has no regrets.
“No, I still feel the same way,” Brooks told Fox Sports on Friday.
He continues to embrace the villain role he sees himself playing.
“It scares people,” Brooks said. “When I started making consecutive stops, they started hanging their heads and pouting. It was just a spell. Whoever was doing the research on social media, they’ve already lost. “I just played with it and kept playing basketball. “
However, this didn’t seem to have the desired impact on James, who finished with 37 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists.
At one point, James and the Lakers fouled out, and the NBA superstar went into a heated celebration that included a “stilted” handshake.
It seemed like part of a special handshake I had with former Rockets player Christian Wood.
The win was payback for the Rockets’ 128-94 win over the Lakers on Nov. 8 in Houston.
The Rockets and Lakers will face off again on December 2.
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