The Suns-Lakers matchup remained heated throughout the four quarters, with LeBron James and Dillon Brooks butting heads several times. In the first half, James ran into Brooks and was called for an offensive foul.
After reviewing the footage, no further action was taken. In the third quarter, they went at each other again and had to be separated by teammates and refs. This back and forth continued till the very end of the game.
The Lakers dominated the third quarter and early in the fourth, taking a 20-point lead. At that point, it seemed like it was going to be an easy win. But the Suns covered the distance quickly, going on a 35-14 run.
With under 13 seconds left on the clock, Brooks hit a three to put his team up by one point. Immediately after that, he had his final altercation with James and got ejected as a result. The Lakers capitalized on the momentum and walked away with a 116-114 win.
After the game, James was asked about his heated moments against Brooks during his conversation with the reporters inside the locker room. The Lakers forward stated that it was all in the heat of competition, and both players were doing their job.
“He’s going to compete. I’m going to compete. We’re going to get up in each other’s face. Tried not to go borderline with it. I don’t really take it there. But we just competed. And did that almost all the way to the end of the game,” James said.
“He’s going to compete. I’m going to compete. We’re going to get up in each other’s face. Tried not to go borderline with it. I don’t really take it there. But we just competed. And did that almost all the way to the end of the game” – LeBron James on Dillon Brooks pic.twitter.com/KfnoSCetiu
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) December 15, 2025
When asked if James was aware that Brooks already had one technical foul and made sure that the refs saw the contact late in the fourth quarter, he said it wouldn’t have mattered because the last contact deserved a tech.
Jarred Vanderbilt Shared His Thoughts on LeBron James and Dillon Brooks’ Heated Moment
The PHX Arena was buzzing with tension in the final moments of the game. James, who is not known for getting into physical altercations, being a part of that had everyone’s attention. His teammates understandably stood by him.
During the post game presser, Jarred Vanderbilt was asked about the Brooks-James saga, and he responded with a jab at the Suns forward.
“I mean, sh*t. I don’t know,” Vanderbilt said. “He brought his antics, and tonight it cost him. So, yeah, that’s all I can say.”
“I mean, s—, he brought his antics and tonight it cost him. So, yeah, that’s all I can say” – Jarred Vanderbilt on Dillon Brooks pic.twitter.com/rHI4uYwrUK
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) December 15, 2025
If Brooks wasn’t ejected, the outcome of the game could have been different. Regardless of the loss at home, the Suns made a brilliant run to cut down the double-digit lead. They also managed to make the game competitive and a nail-biter for the fans.
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