After taking Game 1 by a sizable margin, the Los Angeles Lakers dropped Game 2 of the first round of the NBA playoffs to the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday. They were simply outhustled and outmuscled.
Although forward Dillon Brooks didn’t have a great offensive game, he hit a big 3-pointer in the fourth quarter to stymie a Lakers’ rally. He stared down James afterward, and that came after he talked trash to the four-time MVP earlier in the contest.
After the conclusion of the game, Brooks was asked about his histrionics, and he called James “old.”
On Friday, James responded to Brook’s comments — sort of.
Via ESPN:
“I’m not here for the (expletive),” James said after practice Friday, cutting off his media availability after sidestepping Brooks-related questions for about five minutes. “I’m ready to play and that’s it.”
James is long past the point of his career where such noise may have distracted him or thrown him off his game. He is focused on getting L.A. another win in Game 3 and helping it take firm control of this series.
