NBA playoffs 2023 – Timeline of Dillon Brooks poking at LeBron James

Is Dillon Brooks just asking to be cooked in Game 3?

After Game 2, when the Memphis Grizzlies ended their NBA playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers with a 103-93 win, Brooks, who said LeBron James called him “stupid” for committing his fourth foul, then Brooks James old and said, “I poke bears.”

“I don’t care – he’s old. Brooks said about 38-year-old James. “That is what I have been waiting for. I expected him to do Game 4, Game 5. He wanted to say something when I got my fourth foul. He should have said that sooner.

LeBron had 28 points in Game 2.

However, this was not an isolated case between James and Brooks, who are constantly at odds with the Golden State Warriors and Draymond Green.

This was a tête-à-tête from a few years ago.

In a January 2021 game, James, who had 26 points, hit a fadeaway jumper over Brooks in a 94-92 win and then celebrated the “too small” celebration towards Brooks. LeBron’s Celebration may have returned to Brooks earlier this night for a similar move.

LeBron doesn’t forget 😂pic.twitter.com/tZfKNxOftp

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) January 6, 2021

Fast forward two years. LA was struggling after losing four of its last five games before facing Memphis, and the Grizzlies rode high. The Lakers won the game and James had 23 points, but he managed 8 of 21 shooting and 1 of 5 of 3. It was the only time James played the Grizzlies in the regular season.

Brooks claimed the rough shooting was due to a specific defensive strategy.

Grizzlies’ Dillon Brooks on Lakers’ LeBron James: ‘He doesn’t want to go left. I just made him go left the whole game. pic.twitter.com/nBJ9p3OslK

— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) January 21, 2023

Then came the off-season. The Grizzlies were seeded 2nd in the Western Conference playoffs. The Lakers rebounded after the All-Star hiatus and lost just five games in the last month of the season but had to play in the play-in tournament. Before the Lakers vs. Minnesota Timberwolves game that would decide Memphis’ first-round matchup, Brooks began bear poking in earnest.

“I wouldn’t mind playing LeBron in a seven-game series,” Brooks said before the series. “The legacy is there. First time in the playoffs, knock him out right away. They will test us well. They have good figures, good players. It will be a good first-round matchup for us.”

Brooks got his wish.

In Game 1 James had 21 points in the 128-112 win. King James played his own mind games with Brooks and Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins at one point in the game.

LeBron James tries to listen to Dillon Brooks and Taylor Jenkins talk 👂pic.twitter.com/vWirp3sxy3

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) April 16, 2023

For Game 2, James and Brooks turned to staring competitions.

Dillon Brooks approaches Bron 👀 pic.twitter.com/NkV8RszyFh

— Sports Center (@Sports Center) April 20, 2023

LeBron James and Dillon Brooks exchanged words 👀🍿 pic.twitter.com/cyox1hI5kc

— Sports Center (@Sports Center) April 20, 2023

There has been a litany of LeBron stirrers over the years. They had mixed results against King James. At the Miami Heat in 2013, James threw a huge dunk at Jason Terry in a game against the Dallas Mavericks. Lance Stephenson was that guy when he faced James in the playoffs with the Indiana Pacers. Stephenson once gave James the choke sign and blew James’ ear at the free throw line. James said “I’m not even going to give him the time” when asked about Stephenson during a postseason series against the Pacers.

In two games of this series with Memphis, James shoots 50% and 3/7/3 when Brooks is his main defender. James has 18 points as Brooks defends him.

On Wednesday, Brooks said, “I don’t respect anyone until they come and give me 40.”

Only Damian Lillard has scored 40 goals against Memphis this season while Brooks has played. In Game 3, is LeBron about to join this little club and brush aside another potential irritant?