Brooks-James Feud Heats Up as Rockets Topple Lakers

In a saga that traces back a year, the ongoing feud between Dillon Brooks and LeBron James reached a boiling point during Monday’s face-off between the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers. Brooks, previously with the Memphis Grizzlies, has carried his animosity towards James to his new team, the Rockets.

The latest chapter unfolded in Houston, with Brooks not only taunting James after a successful shot but also committing a flagrant foul against the Lakers star by striking him across the face. The tensions escalated further earlier in the game when Brooks targeted James’s teammates, shoving Jarred Vanderbilt during the second quarter. Vanderbilt retaliated, resulting in his ejection from the game.

Despite Brooks’s aggressive tactics, the Rockets emerged victorious with a 135–119 win over the Lakers. While James, Anthony Davis, and D’Angelo Russell contributed with 23 points each, the Lakers struggled to contain Jalen Green (34 points) and Alperen Şengün (31).

Post-game, Davis criticized Brooks for crossing a line with his physical play and trash talk. When asked about Brooks, James tersely responded with, “Next question.”

This matchup marked the last regular-season encounter between the two teams. However, with the Lakers currently holding the No. 9 spot in the Western Conference standings and the Rockets at No. 11, a potential showdown in the NBA play-in tournament remains a possibility. The Brooks-James rivalry adds an extra layer of intrigue, promising intense competition if the teams meet again on the court.