LeBron James and Dillon Brooks clashed on Sunday when the Lakers faced the Rockets. Despite being the second meeting between James and Brooks since the latter joined the Houston team in the offseason, the high-intensity battles persisted.
This was evident on Sunday when, during the second quarter, James received a technical foul for pushing Brooks with his forearm. Brooks, in turn, was called for a reach as he grabbed onto James while trying to maneuver around a screen set by Anthony Davis. After passing the ball back to the referee, James playfully nudged Brooks with his forearm.
Despite the technical foul, James couldn’t contain his laughter, while Brooks sported a smirk as he trotted to the other side of the court. This incident marked James’s first technical foul of the season, and it seemed fitting that Brooks was involved.
With a history of exchanges during last year’s playoffs, it appears that Brooks and James are resuming their competitive dynamic. The Rockets and the Lakers are scheduled to face each other two more times this season, with matchups set for December 2nd and January 29th.