Brooks

03/30/2025 10:22 PM

Canada’s Dillon Brooks must’ve seen the ejections in the Timberwolves-Pistons game and wanted in on the action himself.

The Houston Rockets chief agitator, aptly nicknamed ‘Dillon the Villain,’ was ejected from Sunday’s game against the Phoenix Suns after getting into an exchange of words and shoves with opponents.

In the second quarter, Brooks, of Mississauga, Ont., got physical with Suns superstar Kevin Durant while guarding him.

After he was called for a reach-in foul, Brooks continued to grab Durant and tried to snatch the ball away from him, ultimately leading to both players getting tangled up.

The two were then separated and Brooks was held back by Suns centre Nick Richards, but he continued jawing with both players. Brooks then pushed Richards away from him as the big man tried to de-escalate the interaction, and he was handed a technical foul.

Brooks then reacted with visible emotion and went after one of the officials, prompting the referee to give him a second tech and toss him out of the game.

Durant and Richards both received technical fouls on the play.

Brooks scored eight points in 11 minutes. It was his first ejection this season and the seventh of his eight-year career. Entering Sunday, Brooks led the NBA in fouls this season with 235. He’s been fined 13 times, resulting in $58,000 in infractions. He received a $25,000 fine for inappropriate language on Jan. 29.

This was his 15th technical foul of the season. If he receives another he’ll be suspended for one game.

In a previous meeting of the teams this season, Phoenix's Mason Plumlee and Houston's Steven Adams were ejected for a scuffle

After the ejection, Houston outscored Phoenix 23-11 the rest of the half for a 78-49 lead.

–with files from The Associated Press