The Los Angeles Lakers have eliminated the Memphis Grizzlies from the NBA playoffs after a hard-fought game series where Dillon Brooks and his trash talking arguably had the most significant storyline. Despite the loss and hit to his reputation, the 27-year-old says he doesn’t regret his verbal jabs aimed at LeBron James.
“No, that’s who I am,” the Grizzlies forward told a reporter at the Grizzlies exit interview. “I don’t regret it. I’m a competitor. I compete. I don’t think it got LeBron geeked up. He’s back in the playoffs, it’s been a little while so I think he was ready to play.”
The Canadian hooper also mentioned that the Lakers were a better team and their roster was healthier.
After the Lakers won Games 3 and 4, Brooks refused to speak to the media and was fined $25,000. With his free agency looming and his less than impressive reputation, the small forward’s next moves will be very crucial.
Dillon Brooks began his feud with LeBron James after the Memphis Grizzlies’ Game 2 win. The shooting guard called the four-time NBA Champion “old,” asserted that he “pokes bears,” and revealed that he doesn’t respect people, James included, until they can score 40 points on him.
It is worth noting that the Los Angeles Lakers, in their closeout victory over the Grizzlies, won Game 6 125-85. While LeBron didn’t individually score 40 points, Brooks’ comment may have foreshadowed his team’s playoff loss.
The Lakers now look ahead and prepare for a Western Conference semifinals showdown with the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors defeated the Sacramento Kings on Sunday (April 30) in Game 7 of their back-and-forth series.