Things got chippy between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Cleveland Cavaliers at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on Thursday night.
It all started during the third quarter when Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks made a wild shot underneath the basket, which brought him down to the floor. When the ball rolled into the hands of Cavs guard Donovan Mitchell, Brooks swung his arm below Mitchell’s belt (seemingly intentionally), which ignited an all-out wrestling match between the two as both benches cleared to break up it up.
Spida and Dillon Brooks get CHIPPY 😳 pic.twitter.com/jGhYHa8VAS
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 3, 2023
It’s hard to blame Mitchell for his reaction considering he’s fresh off the sidelines with a groin injury from January. Brooks punching his arm back at Mitchell’s basket like that was a dirty play if I have ever seen one. And not to mention Brooks is building up quite the catalog of dirty play incidents, so it’s only right that Mitchell got pissed about it.
Less than a month ago, Brooks passed by Cam Johnson of the Phoenix Suns and needlessly wacked him in the chin, for which Brooks received a flagrant foul.
Dillon Brooks with a random shot to the chin on Cam Johnson; Flagrant foul called pic.twitter.com/M4r2Z2xglC
— hoops bot (@hoops_bot) January 23, 2023
He also clotheslined Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II in the playoffs so hard last season that Payton II fell and fractured his elbow.
Gary Payton II suffered a fractured elbow in GM2 after this foul by Dillon Brooks.
Steve Kerr: “Brooks broke the code.”
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) May 4, 2022
After Brooks’ questionable groin shot at Mitchell on Thursday, the Cavaliers All-Star blasted him during the post-game press conference. Mitchell said, “him and I have had our personal battles for years. Quite frankly, I’ve been busting his ass for years.” He added, “it’s tough when you can’t guard somebody and you got to resort to that and that’s what he’s done to a lot of players.”
Donovan Mitchell on Dillon Brooks: “Quite frankly, I’ve been busting his ass for years. Playoffs, regular season…it’s tough when you can’t guard somebody & you got to resort to that & that’s what he’s done to a lot of players.”pic.twitter.com/SBi4sC5nVG
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) February 3, 2023
Keeping in mind Brooks’ history of playing dirty, I think the NBA should suspend him or hit him with a big fine. There’s no place in the game for for his recklessness. It’s only a matter of time until one of his competitors clocks him with a hard foul and puts him in his place.
Until then, we’ll see what the league decides to do about this chaotic groin punch.