Heated Dillon Brooks–LeBron James Clash Sparks Reactions From Suns, Lakers

The Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers were busy in their Sunday night battle at Mortgage Matchup Center.

Dec 14, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks (3) and Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) react during an altercation that resulted in a technical for Brooks during the second half of a game at at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Allan Henry-Imagn Images | Allan Henry-Imagn Images

PHOENIX -- The fireworks provided by Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James and Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks when they meet are unmatched.

Truly.

Rivalries make sports great. They induce some sort of reaction in our brains to take one side and relentlessly defend it regardless of circumstances.

The Suns and Lakers are typically good for a few moments whenever they play thanks to their divisional rivalry and star power on both sides, and Sunday night's contest was just the latest edition.

Far past the 116-114 win for the Lakers at Mortgage Matchup Center, headlines and chatter were dominated by the fued between James/Brooks, which led to multiple scuffles and an eventual ejection from Brooks late in action.

SUNS-LAKERS ENDING WAS WILD 😳

Dillon Brooks EJECTED after clutch 3, LeBron FOULED on three point attempt, hits free throws to win it for the Lakers pic.twitter.com/ptWQpHyzNL

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 15, 2025

It was yet another installment of the popcorn-worthy action between the two players, which followed Brooks' "I don't bow to him" rant after the Suns went into Los Angeles and got a win previously on Dec. 1.

“He's going to compete. I'm going to compete. We're going to get up in each other's face. Tried not to go borderline with it. I don't really take it there. But we just competed. And did that almost all the way to the end of the game," James said after the game (h/t Dave McMenamin).

Brooks did not speak with reporters after the game.

"S---, I don't know, he brought his antics," Lakers teammate Jarred Vanderbilt said of Brooks. "Tonight, it cost him."

Suns star Devin Booker is here for all the smoke, though.

"Yeah, I mean there's history there," Booker said after action. "I love to see it. People always say everything's too friendly in the NBA and then Dillon comes around and now it's too much. So like I said, I'd rather it the other way -- that it'd be too much."

Brooks earned a technical foul in the final seconds of the game, which prompted his ejection and gave the Lakers a strong chance to win the game.

"That's definitely a tech," James said of the play, which was reviewed before Brooks was kicked out of action. "If it was a tech on me in the [third quarter], then it was a tech on him right here, too."

Suns coach Jordan Ott said, “It's never one play to get the emotion to that level … That's why emotions are so high because there's always some another action that precedes it.”

JJ Redick was also asked about it afterwards:

“I didn’t see the play. But in terms of the back and forth, our group was unaffected by it. We were very cohesive tonight and again one of the big factors of the night was our bench play in the second half. Those guys helped get us the lead and helped extend the lead. Guys were cheering for each other, and this is going to sound sick, but I love winning games like this. We shouldn’t have been down but winning ugly is actually fun. It means you were in the trenches, and you fought.”

The Suns and Lakers will meet again on Tuesday, Dec. 23.