The Rockets are in a tough spot at the moment. With the NBA regular season days winding down, the Houston franchise finds themselves in the middle of a play-in dogfight and a lowly table position to secure better draft rank.
With the high stakes, Dillon Brooks got involved in an unsavory incident today that led to his ejection. While Houston won the game against the Bulls, one of his teammates had some wise words for the former Grizzlies man.
Jock Landale wants Dillon Brooks to stop getting ejected
During the game between the Houston Rockets and the Chicago Bulls, Dillon Brooks marred into controversy once again. With 6:02 remaining in the third quarter, the Rockets were leading the Bulls by 84-75.
Western Conference Player of the Week, Jalen Green, entered the Bulls half when DeMar DeRozan came out flying barging into the 22-year-old. Green was left in visible discomfort as DeRozan was escaping the scene.
Dillion Brooks, who has a habit of beefing on the court, rushed to his teammate’s aid, starting a brawl with the Bulls guard. The two players were subsequently ejected from the game. This is not the first time the Canadian has been ejected. He was also ejected in a pre-season game prior to 2023-24 along with a hefty fine.
After the Rockets won 127-117, Jock Landale talked about the incident and especially about his teammate. He said during a courtside interview, “Dillon Brooks, if you’re listening, this ain’t Memphis, man, stop getting yourself ejected. We need you out here. We need that physicality.”
While Brooks might enjoy the subtle dig at his former team, the Grizzlies, Landale’s words were something to consider despite the franchise’s success on the night.
Rockets beat Bulls despite Dillon Brooks ejection
Despite Dillon Brooks’ ejection from the game in the third quarter, the Rockets outlasted the Bulls. Houston started the game brilliantly by taking a 14-point lead in the first quarter. Though the Bulls started to mount a comeback in the second quarter, the Rockets pulled further away after HT, eventually finishing the game off in the fourth quarter.
Dillon Brooks showed his worth in the 25 minutes he stayed on the court. He dropped a 23-point performance along with Jalen Green’s 26 points. The supporting cast also held firm contributing double figures in the win.
For the Bulls, Ayo Dosunmu put up a fight with a 35-point performance. The other culprit in the brawl, DeMar DeRozan contributed 16 points in the loss that keeps the Bulls in the Play-in scenario. In the next game, the Rockets will face the Jazz where they will have a chance to make their season record 35-35.
