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LeBron James and Dillon Brooks continued their individual rivalry during the Los Angeles Lakers’ matchup with the Houston Rockets on Sunday night, with the four-time MVP coming out on top.
James finished with 37 points, with 14 of them coming in the first half.
In the third quarter, he received a technical foul after a brief exchange with Brooks following a foul call. Towards the end of the period, James hit a short runner with the 27-year-old attempting to contest the shot.
Both he and the Lakers’ bench gave Brooks the “too small” gesture, much to the delight of NBA fans.
Los Angeles Lakers @Lakers
On LeAttack pic.twitter.com/N1gKzxa82D
Bleacher Report @BleacherReport
Bron hit the “too small” celly after scoring on Brooks 😅🤣
Harrison Faigen @hmfaigen
LOL at AD’s too small from the bench when LeBron scored over Dillon Brooks
The back-and-forth between Brooks and James was first amplified during last season’s playoffs, when Brooks was a member of the Memphis Grizzlies. After the Grizzlies defeated the Lakers in Game 1 of their first-round matchup, the former second-round pick took shots at the 19-time All-Star.
“I don’t care, he’s old,” Brooks said, according to Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today.
“I poke bears,” he later added. “I don’t respect no one until they come and give me 40 (points). I pride myself on what I do on defense and taking any challenge on the board.”
While James didn’t score 40 against Brooks, he did average 22.4 points and 11.2 rebounds as the Lakers won the series in six games.
The rivalry appears to still be going strong, with James coming out on top in the latest clash between the two.
