When the Los Angeles Lakers hosted the Phoenix Suns, there was a different kind of attention on LeBron James and Dillon Brooks. The cat-and-dog dynamic they have created is a different kind of spectacle. Usually, Brooks talks trash, and Bron responds by scoring on him. It might be petty and childish, but never outright hostile. Tonight, they changed the script.

Other than the Suns ending the Lakers’ seven-game winning streak, Brooks got one up on Bron. That didn’t bother him until Bronny was in the mix. But we will unroll slowly.

This game against the Phoenix was the second of a back-to-back set for the LA team. James. Bron struggled and was winded even though he sat out against the Pelicans because of a sprained foot. Last night, he remained in the game long enough to score 10 points and save his streak of scoring double digits. But it was one of his poorest performances this season. Naturally, that invited attention.

Fans especially got mad at him for stat-padding and blamed him for the Lakers’ loss. James even got LakeShow irritated when he was chatting with the Suns’ bench during the game. There are too many GIFs on the net now of JJ Redick and Lakers players getting exasperated at the eldest player on the team. What exactly was so important for Bron to fraternize with the enemy at the worst time?

Well, Bronny was in the game in the last quarter. James is usually reactive at this time. So on a night when the Lakers’ defensive drawbacks were the most glaring, Bronny stood on business. He was bothering Dillon Brooks, staying on his tail, and preventing his shot from going in.

Brooks finished the game with 33 points. If it weren’t for Bronny, he might have matched Luka Doncic’s 38. Since his son avenged him, LeBron just had to sink the dagger deeper. Cameras captured King James with a loud thumbs down after Brooks’ missed shot. That’s a diss if there is one.

Now Brooks loves to dish it. And he did exactly that to James before Bronny served his dad an opportunity for vengeance.

Dillon Brooks got the last laugh

LeBron James and Dillon Brooks’ petty back-and-forth goes way back. Their 2023 playoff clash was the most memorable moment in their rivalry. That time, James shut him down. This time, Brooks got the last laugh.

It happened in the second quarter. Bron was still in single digits and chasing down Brooks, who flew for a dunk. It extended the Suns’ lead to 66-52 at the end of the second quarter. As soon as he came down the rim, Brooks hit the ‘LeBron James shrug.’ He was justifiably smug about it, too.

If he thought he was going to create a pattern of generational trauma in one game, Dillon Brooks taught wrong. Bronny James didn’t let him dunk again while he was on the floor.

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James didn’t react in the moment, but he and Brooks resumed their smack-talk exchange later. After the Bronny moment, the Lakers called a timeout with about 50 seconds remaining in the game. Instead of recalibrating with the team, James was bantering with Brooks.

It was testing the patience of the entire Lakers squad. Almost half the team had to drag James back to their bench to discuss the final play.

While Bronny thwarted him, Brooks got the last laugh. At the end of the game, he was smug about getting under LeBron’s skin. “Always. Always. LeBron likes people who bow down to him. I don’t bow down,” were his exact words.

This was just one of the many ways tonight Bron grated on LakeShow’s nerves. So if he sits out another game, fans might not mind.