NBA Official Explains Controversial Suns vs Lakers Calls

Sunday's matchup between the Suns and Lakers got extremely physical.

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 -- Sunday's Phoenix Suns vs. Los Angeles Lakers matchup got out of hand pretty early on with the amount of physicality and fouls that were being called.

Los Angeles ended up winning the game 116-114 after late free throws by LeBron James despite the Suns taking the lead with 13 seconds left after being down 20.

The Lakers (18-7) finished the night taking 43 free throws compared to 25 for the Suns (14-12), and the teams combined for 51 fouls for the game.

After 51 fouls, 68 free throw attempts, a Dillon Brooks ejection and an almost collapse, Lakers win by 2. pic.twitter.com/KmFRSz52qV

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) December 15, 2025

Official Explains LeBron James, Dillon Brooks Interactions

James and Dillon Brooks have a well-documented history of bad blood, and it was on full display last night with Brooks picking up two technical fouls and getting ejected, and James being assessed one.

In the team's first meeting of the year on Dec. 1, Brooks had some words for James after he was seen laughing and talking to Jordan Goodwin on Phoenix's bench during the game.

"I'm a competitor man," Brooks said after this first matchup. "I don't really like the smiling, the giggling and all that. Just letting him know I'm here and I'm still rising."

Brooks then added that James "always" takes offense to him talking.

"He likes people that bow down. I don't bow down," Brooks said. "That either entices him or it aggravates him, either or."

Brooks employed this same mentality in Sunday's matchup and picked up an early technical after a loose ball scrum.

He was also in foul trouble most of the night, so James was even more motivated to go at him throughout the game.

The first big moment between the two came early in the third quarter after Brooks was fouled on a shot attempt while being guarded by James, and then James became very agitated and bumped into Brooks and had to be held back from going at him more.

While in the process of doing so, James made contact with the official trying to move him out of the way to get to Brooks, who just walked away without appearing to say anything.

James was given an unsportsmanlike technical for bumping Brooks, but nothing for contacting the official.

Lead official Tyler Ford was asked in a pool report why James was not given an additional technical foul for coming in contact with the official.

"During instant replay review, we have the ability to review all unsportsmanlike acts. There was no unsportsmanlike act observed for making contact with a referee," Ford said.

LeBron got tech after having words with Dillon Brooks 😳 pic.twitter.com/yYiEEQeRpV

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 15, 2025

After this fiasco, the most notable altercation happened after Brooks hit a go-ahead 3-pointer to put Phoenix ahead 114-113 with 13 seconds remaining.

Brooks fell down on the shot attempt after James appeared to make contact with him, but there was no foul called.

Brooks then ran up to James and bumped him and shared some words after the play was over, which resulted in Brooks' second technical.

"Brooks was ejected because he received his second technical foul for making unsportsmanlike contact during the dead ball," Ford said of Brooks' ejection.

James was not given a personal foul for the contact with Brooks on the shot attempt after the review.

After Brooks went back to the locker room, Devin Booker fouled James on a 3-point shot attempt with three seconds to go.

The Suns challenged the call, but the foul stood and James made 2-of-3 free throws to put the Lakers in front, and Phoenix lost its last timeout, which it could not recover from.

"Booker made illegal contact to the right wrist of James during the shot attempt and was called for a defensive foul," Ford said of Booker's foul postgame.

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

Brooks was not available for postgame media, but James detailed what happened between him and Brooks.

“He's going to compete. I'm going to compete," James said (via ESPN's Dave McMenamin). "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."

With Brooks on the Suns and his history with James, this rivalry between the Suns and Lakers doesn't look like it will go away anytime soon.

The two teams will next meet on Dec. 23 in Phoenix.