PHOENIX — After Tuesday’s 132-108 win over the Los Angeles Lakers, Dillon Brooks dressed at his locker while listening to 50 Cent’s “What up Gangsta.” The Phoenix Suns forward was in good spirits. He had just played a starring role in their 16th win.

After putting on dark shades, Brooks turned to face a small group of reporters. Asked about Tuesday night’s win at Mortgage Matchup Center, Brooks discussed the importance of winning a divisional game, especially heading into Christmas.

Asked about his mild battle with Lakers star LeBron James — no skirmishes, no technical fouls, only trash talk — Brooks said he took the advice of former NBA guard and Suns executive Rex Chapman, who had told him: “You get respect by showing respect.”

The third question came from a reporter holding the night’s stat sheet: “Dillon, you’re a guy known for the dirty work, but when I look at this stat sheet, I don’t see much dirty work.”

Brooks smiled.

“Nah, it was pretty,” he said.

In 24 minutes, Brooks put up one of the more unique stat lines you’ll find. He posted 25 points and five zeroes. No rebounds, no assists, no steals, no blocked shots, no turnovers. It was like he had turned into Malik Monk overnight.

“All points?” Phoenix guard Devin Booker said, jokingly. “That’s what we want him to do out there. Maybe a few more rebounds.”

Asked if such a performance reminded him of anyone, Booker brought up a former wing who played for five teams over 16 NBA seasons: “J.R. Smith?”

Per Stathead, Brooks is just the sixth NBA player to register 25 points and five zeros since the league began tracking turnovers during the 1977-78 season. The others: Tim Hardaway, Jr. (last season), Cuttino Mobley (2007), Michael Redd (2002), Johnny Newman (1999) and Reggie Miller (1999).

Let’s examine those performances:

– Hardaway last season with the Detroit Pistons mirrored Brooks’ effort against the Lakers. Like Brooks, he shot 10 of 15 from the field. The only other traditional stat Hardaway produced that night: one personal foul.

– Mobley is the only player in this group who did not have a great shooting night (9 of 20), and as someone who averaged more than a steal per game, you’d think he might have lucked into one that night against the Sacramento Kings. Alas …

– The youngest of this group at 22, Redd had a career night against the Houston Rockets. In his second season with the Milwaukee Bucks, he hit nine 3-pointers and scored a career-high 29 points, 26 coming in the fourth quarter. All in 20 minutes. Bravo.

– Newman? Come on. He was in his 14th season when he posted this stat line as a member of the New Jersey Nets. No one needs to be chasing rebounds on 35-year-old knees.

– Miller? Not gonna lie. We expect more from a Hall of Famer.

Ladies & Gentlemen, Dillon Brooks 👀 pic.twitter.com/QU8hvw4oFz

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) December 24, 2025

Earlier this month, the Suns and Lakers clashed on this same court. Brooks battled foul trouble that night and was ejected after receiving his second technical foul for chest-bumping James in the final minute of Phoenix’s loss. On Tuesday night, following Chapman’s advice, Brooks got off to a better start. The 29-year-old forward had 13 points at halftime and all 25 through three quarters.

“I think he’s gotten better,’’ Booker said of Brooks’ diverse scoring. “He’s put the work in. He wasn’t this good (earlier in his career.). We’d play against him and he would score, but it wouldn’t be that efficient. Now you can see the work, and the work has brought the confidence with it.”

With the game out of hand, Brooks did not play in the fourth quarter as coach Jordan Ott emptied the bench. He was the only Phoenix player who did not collect a rebound. Before the contest, general manager Brian Gregory had told Brooks that he wanted 10 boards.

“I was just praying that one fell in my lap so I could say at least I got one,” Brooks said.

No matter. On this night, the Suns were just fine with the points.

“We didn’t need anything else other than that tonight,” Ott said. “The next night he might have double-figure rebounds. Whatever it takes to win.”