In the middle of October, Dillon Brooks took aim at Kevin Durant over his feud with Mat Ishbia. However, while many expected shocking on-court antics during the Suns’ 102-99 win against the Rockets, Brooks stayed calm.

During the first quarter of the game, Brooks got tangled up with Amen Thompson. It set the tone for an intense contest. Following the win, the Suns forward revealed how he kept his cool.

“I was whispering my s**t-talking to other guys, trying to communicate and let the refs know that, you know, I’m a passionate player,” Brooks said in a postgame interview. “I’m a passionate player. I apologize for yelling.”

With 5:53 left in the first quarter, Brooks was grappling with Thompson for the ball after Amen was called for a violation. The Suns forward even gave his former teammate a light headbutt in the moment.

Despite the physicality, Brooks didn’t allow things to escalate further than that while guarding Thompson or Durant.

Throughout the closely contested game, Brooks was tasked with guarding Durant. Even when KD pushed his forearm and elbow into Brooks’ neck, the latter didn’t respond.

When the Rockets beat the Suns 148-109 in March 2025, the game featured an ejection. Brooks, who was playing for Houston, guarded then-Suns star Durant, and tensions arose. With 4:48 left in the second quarter, DB was called for a foul on KD, which then led to a shoving match.

Brooks continued to argue and was ejected after being given two technical fouls.

There was no such thing during the Suns’ most recent 3-point win. Brooks was able to play the entire contest. This time, the result was reversed, with the Suns getting the victory.

Brooks played 37 minutes, contributing 11 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 assist. His composure contrasted with Durant’s 21 points on poor shooting — a defensive win. KD finished the game shooting 5-14 from the field and 1-7 from 3-point range.

Furthermore, as the game counted down its final 15 seconds and Durant was given the ball, Brooks hounded him, forcing him to miss a potential game-tying shot.

Most importantly, Brooks lived up to Suns HC Jordan Ott’s expectations. He showcased his ability to walk the line between intensity and aggression, something that Ott praised him for after the win.

He refrained from excessive trash talk and kept his emotions in check.

“When I’m alone with a player, I just say what I need to say, play with that physicality, and use it against them as well.”

Brooks, who called Durant a stench in the locker room, was able to get the final laugh after backing Ishbia in their feud.

Brooks has never been one to shy away from physicality or trash talk, especially when facing Durant. However, this time, he managed to maintain his defensive intensity without letting the confrontation get the better of him.

And with the Suns up by three points in the game’s final seconds, Brooks made sure his actions did the talking, denying Durant the chance to force overtime.