“This is driving me crazy”: Dillon Brooks’ ejection gets fiery response from Stephen A. Smith after heated clash with Kevin Durant

Trending

+Text Size

Small
Medium
Large

Dillon Brooks of the Houston Rockets was ejected after an altercation with the Phoenix Suns’ Kevin Durant, with Stephen A. Smith criticizing the decision. The Rockets, despite Brooks’ absence, went on to secure a dominant 148-109 victory. Durant’s night ended prematurely due to an ankle injury.

The Houston Rockets’ Dillon Brooks found himself at the center of controversy on Sunday, getting ejected in a fiery matchup against the Phoenix Suns. Brooks got tangled up with Suns superstar Kevin Durant in the second quarter, leading to a scuffle that saw multiple technical fouls handed out. However, NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith came to the defense of the Rockets while condemning the decision to eject him from the matchup.

Dillon Brooks ejected after tangled up with Kevin Durant and gets held back from ref

Stephen A. Smith was not happy as Dillon Brooks was ejected from the matchup. The altercation began when Brooks, while guarding Durant, was called for a reach-in foul. However, instead of letting the play go, Brooks continued to grab at Durant, attempting to snatch the ball. This escalated into a physical exchange, with the two players getting tangled up. Suns center Nick Richards stepped in to diffuse the situation, but Brooks shoved him aside, leading to his first technical foul.

Frustrated Brooks continued arguing with officials, which led to a second technical and an automatic ejection. Durant and Richards were also assessed technical fouls, but it was Brooks who ultimately paid the price, being forced to exit the game.

Taking to X, Smith wrote, “This is driving me crazy. I’m watching the @HoustonRockets vs @Suns game. Dillon Brooks did not deserve to get thrown out of this game. A physical play vs @KDTrey5 for sure, cussing at the referee initial for the foul call. But to eject the man over that? Come on. Let the players play!”

It was Brooks’ first ejection of the season and the seventh of his NBA career. Entering Sunday’s game, he led the league in total fouls with 235 and had already accumulated $58,000 in fines from various infractions. With this latest ejection, Brooks’ total technical foul count for the season reached 15— just one away from an automatic one-game suspension per NBA rules.

Before his ejection, Brooks had put up eight points in 11 minutes of action. Following the incident, Houston went on a dominant 23-11 run to close out the half, carrying a commanding 78-49 lead into the break.

Brooks is a crucial piece for the Rockets, averaging 13.9 points per game this season.

As for the Suns, they were already struggling to keep pace, their night took another hit when Kevin Durant suffered an injury in the third quarter. Driving to the basket, Durant landed awkwardly on Jabari Smith Jr.’s foot, rolling his left ankle in a painful twist. He was helped off the court and did not return, finishing the night with 11 points and seven rebounds.

Durant’s injury came just a quarter after his scuffle with Brooks, but this time, the situation was far more concerning for the Suns. With the playoffs approaching, Phoenix now faces uncertainty regarding their star’s availability.

Also Read: All-out brawl erupts in Pistons vs Timberwolves game-7 ejected, coaches fling insults, young fan caught in melee, and everything else you need to know

Regardless, the Rockets secured a stunning 148-109 win over the Suns, making a statement at the Suns’ home ground, PHX Arena.

Get the latest IPL 2025 updates on Times of India, including match schedules, team squads, points table and IPL live score for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS, and RR. Don’t miss the list of players in the race for IPL Orange Cap and IPL Purple cap.

TOI Sports Desk

The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide. From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more. The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics. We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects. We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.Read More

End of Article