Dillion Brooks has apparently developed a reputation as a provoker over the past few seasons in the basketball world. The Memphis Grizzlies wing was infamously ejected from a playoff game last postseason for picking a fight with Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II, and the same thing happened on Thursday with another player. This time, it was Cleveland Cavaliers player Donovan Mitchell.
Brooks was going up for a layup with just under six minutes remaining in the third quarter, but his attempt was altered by Cavaliers’ big man Evan Mobley and headed out of bounds. Mitchell was trying to save the ball, but Brooks, who was on the ground, hit him in the groin. Mitchell responded by throwing the ball off Brooks, who was still on the ground, and this started a fight between the two teams. A video of the fight is linked below.
Brooks was assessed a flagrant-2 foul, which automatically disqualifies him from the game, and Mitchell was also ejected. The Cavaliers led 83-77 at the time of the altercation, and that lead has since grown without Brooks or Mitchell in the game.
Judging by the video above, it’s pretty obvious that other players in the NBA consider Brooks’s anger issues to be a big problem. It’s also true that things have not been going so well for the Grizzlies lately. They lost six of their previous seven games entering their tilt with the Cavaliers, and losing Brooks to a suspension would only make things more difficult for them. Brooks will be a free agent after this season, and incidents like this aren’t going to help convince the Grizzlies to commit to him with a long-term contract. Something needs to change in Memphis if the Grizzlies are going to get back on track this season.
