Dillon Brooks’ Strong Showing Overshadowed by Controversy Against Rockets
Dillon Brooks took center stage during his first matchup against the Houston Rockets, a game that held personal significance for him. The Phoenix Suns forward delivered a standout performance, scoring a game-high 29 points. Unfortunately for Brooks, the Suns (11-7) fell short, suffering a 114-92 defeat that marked their most disappointing offensive outing of the season.
“It was a good fight. We’ll see them in December,” Brooks reflected in his postgame comments. He acknowledged the need for improvement, noting, “We got some learning to do and probably going to hit more threes.” The absence of key players like Kevin Durant, who was out for personal reasons, and Jalen Green, sidelined with a right hamstring strain, left Brooks as the only player from the high-profile summer trade available for this initial clash of the season.
Brooks’ Frustrations with Refereeing
In the lead-up to the game, Brooks expressed eagerness to face off against his former coach, Ime Udoka, highlighting the respect he holds for him. “He’s a guy that I love and have a ton of respect for,” Brooks said pregame. “You see the value that he’s bringing here, so I didn’t mind that edge that he brought.”
However, the game was marred by controversy surrounding the officiating, particularly concerning what Brooks perceived as excessive flopping by the Rockets. After a fourth-quarter exchange with Udoka, during which Brooks drew an offensive foul after taking an elbow to the face, he didn’t shy away from sharing his thoughts on the officiating.
“(Udoka said) I flopped on the play, but I’ve never seen so many flops being rewarded on the other side,” Brooks stated bluntly. He likened the experience to a FIBA game, where flopping is often met with leniency from officials. “That killed every single run we had. Couldn’t be physical when the Rockets were physical, grabbing and holding. Then when we tried to do it, it was called right away.”
Udoka Responds to Brooks’ Comments
When asked about the exchange with Brooks, Udoka downplayed it, saying, “I was just messing with (Brooks)… I’ve been talking to him the whole game and vice versa.” The camaraderie between the two was evident, especially when cameras captured their lighthearted interaction in the second quarter, providing a glimpse of their mutual respect despite the game’s competitive nature.
As the Suns look to rebound from this loss, Brooks’ performance and candid remarks underscore the challenges of navigating both the game and its officiating, a topic that continues to spark conversations across the league.
