Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James had a stern warning for Memphis Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks ahead of game three of the teams’ NBA playoff series. Brooks drew James into a verbal altercation during game two on Wednesday and was unrepentant afterward, saying he pokes bears and calling James “old.”
When asked about Brooks’ comments during a media availability on Friday, James declined to engage in a war of words and instead focused on the game itself.
“The game is won in between the four lines,” James said. “Always has (been), always will be.”
Despite his reluctance to engage in trash talk, James made it clear that he was ready to play and not interested in distractions.
“I’m not here for the bullshit,” he said. “I’m ready to play.”
LeBron has a message for Dillon Brooks 👀
“I’m not here for the bullshit” pic.twitter.com/YWlE2bnZVu
— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) April 21, 2023
James emphasized the importance of staying focused on the game and not getting caught up in individual matchups or distractions. He noted that the Grizzlies are one of the best defensive teams in the league and that the Lakers need to respect all their players, regardless of who is on the court.
“At the end of the day, there’s 10 guys on the floor,” James said. “No matter who is out in a Grizzlies uniform during that particular time, during that quarter, during that minute, we’ve got to respect everybody and we’ve got to execute offensively.”
The Lakers dropped game two of the series against Memphis, but James remained confident in his team’s ability to bounce back and regain momentum on their home court. He urged his teammates to stay focused and execute their game plan, emphasizing that they cannot afford to focus on any one player or distraction.
With James leading the charge, the Lakers will be looking to regain their winning ways and take control of the series in game three. And if Brooks tries to poke the bear again, he may find himself on the wrong end of James’ fierce competitive spirit.
Grizzlies Even Series with Lakers as Dillon Brooks Challenges LeBron James: A Playoff Rivalry in the Making?
In a must-win game for the Memphis Grizzlies, they secured a 103-93 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers to even their first-round playoff series. The matchup was not without its drama, as Dillon Brooks engaged in a back-and-forth with LeBron James, staring him down and refusing to back down even after the game. Brooks boldly stated that he pokes bears and doesn’t respect anyone until they give him 40 points.
Despite James putting up an impressive 28 points and 12 rebounds, the Lakers’ second and third options, Anthony Davis and D’Angelo Russell, struggled to find the basket, allowing the Grizzlies to even the series. Brooks seems eager to continue his challenge of James, hoping to knock him out of the playoffs in the first round and test the Grizzlies against a talented Lakers team.
While Brooks is not the first to challenge James in the playoffs, with Lance Stephenson and Paul Pierce among his previous rivals, he hopes to change the pattern of James ultimately prevailing. With the series tied, the Brooks-James matchup could become a playoff rivalry in the making.
