In Game 3 of the Lakers-Grizzlies series, LeBron James’s team came out on fire, opening up a 35-9 first quarter lead. It appeared as though Los Angeles was playing with some extra motivation after Memphis forward Dillon Brooks called out James following the Grizzlies’ Game 2 win.
The Lakers ultimately won Game 3, 111-101, as James dropped 25 points with nine rebounds and five assists. Brooks, meanwhile, was ejected from the game after he appeared to hit James in the groin in the third quarter.
After the game, James continued to brush off questions about Brooks, claiming that he didn’t have any extra motivation to stick it to Memphis.
“I’ve been doing this too long. I’ve made enough statements,” James said, via ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “No. We had an opportunity to come home and play well on our home floor, and we did that. No statement was made. We just wanted to play well and got a win. And we want to try to do that in Game 4 as well.”
James mentioned that he has dealt with all kinds of pesky opponents in his 20-year career, so the situation with Brooks isn’t unique. At this point in James’s career, the veteran said he’s used to opponents trying to get in his head.
“This is not my first rodeo,” James said. “I’ve had this throughout my career with certain individuals. It’s easy.”
As for Brooks’s shot to James’s groin, the Lakers star did not try to surmise whether it was intentional or not.
“I was just trying to get up, protect my crown jewels and move on to the next play,” he said.
In the visiting locker room, Brooks, who shot 3-for-13 in 19 minutes before his ejection, declined to comment after the game.
