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Dillon Brooks Fuels Rivalry with LeBron James, Outscores Lakers Star in Suns’ Blowout Victory
The escalating feud between Dillon Brooks and LeBron James reached a new level of intrigue on Tuesday, December 24, 2025, as Brooks led the Phoenix Suns to a decisive victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, even outscoring James in the process.
The Phoenix Suns’ rivalry with the Los Angeles Lakers has shown signs of resurgence this month, but Tuesday’s contest lacked the anticipated intensity, culminating in a lopsided win for Phoenix. However,Dillon Brooks ensured the night wasn’t without its drama,continuing his well-documented and often contentious relationship with LeBron James. In a surprising display, Brooks even shared a brief moment of camaraderie with James, high-fiving him after a triumphant free throw – a gesture that visibly puzzled the Lakers superstar.
Dillon Brooks high-fived LeBron after he made FT 😂ðŸ˜
Brooks’ attempts to disrupt James’ rhythm extended beyond the high-five. He appeared to intentionally interfere with James’ free-throw routine on multiple occasions, including a notable lane violation.
Dillon Brooks lane violation lol
Beyond the theatrics,Brooks delivered a strong performance,scoring 25 points in 24 minutes,surpassing James’ 23 points in 26 minutes of play. The Suns dominated throughout,with the lead never shrinking below 20 points in the fourth quarter. In a final display of confidence, Brooks chose to enjoy the closing moments of the game from courtside seats, explaining to reporters that a departing fan offered him the space. “There was no seats, and one of the fans was leaving and they said I could sit right there,” Brooks stated. “Thought it was appropriate.” This move was seen by some as a deliberate echo of James’ own tendency to engage with cameras during games.
Look how happy Dillon Brooks is for beating LeBron ðŸ˜
The roots of this rivalry trace back to the 2023 playoffs when Brooks and James faced off while playing for the Houston Rockets and the Lakers, respectively. The conflict ignited after Game 2, when Brooks claimed James called him “dumb,” prompting a fiery response from Brooks, who labeled James “old” and declared, “I poke bears.” The tension escalated in game 3 when brooks was ejected for a flagrant foul, striking James in the groin.
The animosity continued when Brooks joined the Suns, with their first matchup on December 1st already marked by intense interactions. In that earlier contest, Brooks successfully limited James to just 10 points, leading to a Suns victory. Following the game,Brooks remarked,”He likes people that bow down. I don’t bow down. That either entices him or it aggravates him, either or.” While James secured a win in their subsequent encounter later in the month – despite a late three-pointer from Brooks followed by an ejection for contact with James – Brooks had once again managed to hold James under 50% shooting.
Despite Tuesday’s outcome, the rivalry is far from over. Two more regular-season matchups are scheduled: February 26th in Phoenix and April 10th
