The Daily Think

Stephen A. Smith had simple advice for Lebron James following Dillon Brooks comments after Game 2 of the 2023 playoffs: “Bus his ass.” Jay Williams backed it up while Brian Windhorst shook his head. This response is brought to you by: “NBA Villain, when you need an NBA Villain, turn to Dillon Brooks.”

DBROOKS 3:16

Dillon Brooks, in white framed sunglasses with his shirt unbuttoned challenging, smirking and non-chalantly disrespecting the “King.” So. Calling him “old” until someone puts 40 points on him, as the benchmark for earning Dillon’s respect. So. Earlier in the season wearing his Stone-Cold Steve Austin mask and gear, Dillon Brooks had already been a wrestling heel and turning into the Rattlesnake, quickly defined as a “bad guy” from the wrestling parlance of our time. Brooks knows what he is doing and is he doing that trying to evoke a response out of Lebron James: To fail and get out of his game.

A TRADITION UNLIKE ANY OTHER: NBA PLAYOFF VILLAINS

Look, bad guys in the NBA are nothing new, from the 80’s with the Pistons and Celtics to the Pacers and Knicks teams who housed and encouraged tough enforcers and audible trash talkers, while still winning and making it to the playoffs yearly. Name the names,

Frank Brickowski, Dennis Rodman, Robert Horry (Big shot Bob still a villain in Phoenix for a hip check and Sacramento for a dagger) Mario Elie, Danny Ainge, Bill Laimbeer, Bill Cartwright, Kevin McHale (sweet clothesline on the Lakers bro), all of them vilified for antics on the basketball court during the most exciting 40 days of Sports. Modern players like the dastardly Draymond Green, who continues his own separate BEEF (shoutouts Steven Yuen and Ali Wong) with Dillon Brooks (think Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels of bad guys.) Trae Young versus the Knicks, but more like Trae Young versus his own team. So Dillon isn’t a new phenomena, he’s just the latest playoff villain we want sound bytes from!

STATS SCHMATTS

Let’s talk about his stats, or actually let’s not, because he isn’t very stat prone nor does he present a challenge on the offensive end unless he gets hot from 3, which is very rare. his shot selection according to Mismatch host (and personal brand ambassador to the Memphis Grizzlies fans of Hawaii) Chris Vernon is pretty atrocious and ill-advised. So please don’t judge his effectiveness with +/- stats or points per game. This man brings that intangible game within the game that can swing an opposing superstar to misfire in his own game. A la Draymond Green for many championship playoff runs against every team they faced.

BE A GOLDFISH DILLON

Who cares that the Grizzlies gave up game 1 in the series and they barely hung on in Game 2 but handily controlled the Lakers. You lost home court advantage, your star player hurt his hand, and you’re still without Aquaman in the paint. Be a Goldfish Dillon, Coach Lasso just gave you the green light to be you and keep talking after a win and giving up bulletin board material to the Lakers and the “king.”

Coach Lasso also slapped the “Believe” sign and that is one thing you can count on Dillon Brooks to do: Believe in himself as the new modern day Villain.