Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks finally addressed the non-call on LeBron James on his late 3 and subsequent technical foul in the 116-114 home loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Dec. 14.
Brooks took questions from the media about the game for the first time on Wednesday, Dec. 17. He wasn’t available Sunday afer the game.
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“I got out of character a little bit,” Brooks said Wednesday, at the team’s practice facility. “Out of my body a little bit.”
The Suns (14-12) next face the Golden State Warriors (13-14) Dec. 18, at Mortgage Matchup Center.
Brooks’ major takeaway from Sunday’s experience is understanding his value to the team and realizing he must stay in the game to impact the outcome.
“That’s my problem throughout my whole career is that I let those things happen and then I’m off the floor,” said Brooks, who is averaging a career-best 21.6 points in his first season with Phoenix. “At the end of the day, how much people hate on me and say I’m not a good player, but when I’m on the floor, it changes the whole game.”
Brooks put the Suns ahead, 114-113, with 12.2 seconds left on a 3 in which James contested the shot and made contact. A foul wasn’t called on James as Brooks fell to the floor. He reacted in disgust, hopped up and quickly approached James after the Lakers called a timeout.
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“That’s just me and him,” Brooks said. “He got words to say. You can look. You can see the whole game. He got words to say to me. That’s out of my character. I’m just letting him know.”
Brooks was called for a second technical foul and ejected from the game as lead official Tyler Ford said Brooks aggressively approached James when announcing the ejection.
Brooks had picked up his first technical foul early in the first half.
Suns coach Jordan Ott has consistently said he loves what Brooks brings to the table, emotions and all.
“You know what games, going into, the energy is going to be high,” Ott said after practice on Dec. 16.
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“The tough part about that one it changed 80 seconds into the game (Brooks’ first technical foul). We know (the Lakers) are a competitive group over there. We’re a competitive group trying to fight for every inch here. Love the energy. Love the emotion. He sets our pulse. We wouldn’t want to have it any other way.”
When told what Ott said about riding with him, Brooks smiled in explaining why he believes the first-year head coach has his back.
Lebron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Dillon Brooks #3 of the Phoenix Suns get together after a play during the second half of a game at Mortgage Matchup Center on Dec. 14, 2025, in Phoenix.
“He knows I’ll learn from my mistakes and I’m in this facility every day,” Brooks said. “I’m going to get it right. I’ll find a way to channel the emotion properly.”
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This game was a continuation of the feud between James and Brooks that goes back to the 2023 playoffs when Brooks was with the Memphis Grizzlies.
They also went back-and-forth in the Dec. 1 matchup Phoenix won in Los Angeles. After that game, Brooks said he doesn’t “bow down” to James.
James also received a technical foul early in the third quarter in Sunday’s game when he felt Brooks threw the ball off his head.
An upset James approached referee Scott Twardoski and grabbed his arm to make his case. Twardoski called the technical foul on James.
Lebron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts during the first half of a game against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center on Dec. 14, 2025, in Phoenix.
The play was reviewed. It was concluded that Brooks didn’t intentionally knock the ball off James’ head.
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“He thinks people should think a certain way about him,” Brooks said about James. “Not say nothing about him. Play a certain way. I’m not going to play that way. He gets in his moods or his modes or whatever it is and I’m all for that.”
The NBA released its “Last Two-Minute Report” on Sunday’s game that concluded it was a correct non-call on Brooks’ 3, saying “James (LAL) contests to the side of Brooks (PHX) and would avoid making contact if not for Brooks extending his left leg/knee towards James.”
In reaction to hearing the explanation, Brooks said, “Then it should’ve been an offensive foul then.”
Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles as Dillon Brooks #3 of the Phoenix Suns defends during the first half of a game at Mortgage Matchup Center on Dec. 14, 2025, in Phoenix.
James missed the technical free throw. Brooks said, “So is it a mistake for real?” with a smile after Wednesday’s practice.
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Brooks said the situation was “out of my system after the whistle blew” and he was already thinking about playing the Warriors and facing the Lakers Dec. 23 in Phoenix.
When asked how he’s able to move forward that quickly, Brooks said, “I don’t have social media like that. I don’t get to see all the aftermath and stuff. I’m programmed, I’m wired where the next day when I wake up, it’s something new. I already forgot about what happened yesterday. I’m onto something new.”
James later got three more free throws in Sunday’s game as Devin Booker was whistled for a foul on a 3-point shot with three seconds left.
He missed the first one, but made the last to put the Lakers ahead, 115-114.
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The “Last Two-Minute Report” concluded the foul call on Booker was correct, saying “Replay review of the foul called on Booker (PHX) pursuant to a coach’s challenge was deemed unsuccessful. Booker initiates contact with James’ (LAL) right arm/wrist as he is starting his upward shooting motion.”
“Tough situation,” Suns forward Royce O’Neale said. “Those situations, maybe not reach, just put our hands up. You never know how they’re going to call it, if they let it go. Usually they say the hand is part of the ball, but tough call.”
This was all part of a wild game with an unreal ending.
“Chaotic, crazy, everything in between,” Suns big Mark Williams said. “It was easily eight reviews. Flow of the game got choppy. Stuff you just can’t control, really, but that’s a whole another conversation.”
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Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Dillon Brooks looks to ‘channel’ emotions after Suns loss to Lakers