"Longtime foes LeBron James and Dillon Brooks will meet again Tuesday in Phoenix. The Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns have split two matchups this season -- both hotly contested meetings that have reignited competitive battles between James and Brooks. Tempers first started to rise in 2021, when James performed the "too small" celebration in a game against Brooks. However, it was during the first-round series between the Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies in 2003 when their run-ins reached new heights."
"And though the two have had their fair share of battles on the court, it all comes down to competition. "He's a great competitor. I like going against him. And he was hooping tonight for sure. He shot the ball exceptionally well and kept them in the game," James said after a 105-104 win over the Houston Rockets in November 2023. James did the "too small" celebration in that game, too."
"Late in the second quarter, James bumped into Brooks and sent him to the ground, prompting the Suns forward to stand up and intensely stare at James. Early in the third, Brooks drove toward the basket, but was fouled by Luka Doncic as he tried to shoot. The ball went in the air, Brooks swatted it as it descended, and it hit James. It prompted an animated response from James, who began jawing at Brooks and had to be restrained."
LeBron James and Dillon Brooks have developed a persistent, heated rivalry spanning multiple seasons and teams. The Lakers and Suns have split recent matchups that featured aggressive exchanges and physical confrontations. Tensions trace back to 2021 when James performed the "too small" celebration and to a notable first-round series in 2003 that intensified their run-ins. In a December 2025 game James scored 26 points and hit late free throws amid multiple dustups. Incidents included James bumping Brooks to the floor, a ball striking James after a swat, animated jawing, and Brooks later being ejected after chest-to-chest contact.
Read at ESPN.com
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