Rockets vs Bulls Brawl: What Happened Between DeMar DeRozan and Dillon Brooks?

Dillon Brooks and DeMar DeRozan got into a tussle mid-way through the third quarter during the Chicago Bulls – Houston Rockets clash. Rozan slammed straight into Jalen Green who had the rebound only for the latter to fall. While the refs called a foul, Brooks felt it only right to confront the Bulls forward.

The decision entailed words being exchanged before it turned into a shove and then a full-blown brawl, with refs, security, coaches, and players all running to break it up. The instance resulted in the ejection of both Brooks and DeRozan from the game.

DeMar was assessed a flagrant 2 foul for the hard shove on Green while Brooks was slapped with a technical foul for his confrontation with Rozan. The decision was quick and sure to receive mixed reactions from fans. Some of the spectators opined that Brooks’ intervention wasn’t necessary, considering Rozan’s hit on Green would have been a flagrant foul; marking an end to the brush.

However, there were others who believed that Dillon’s actions were entirely reasonable. Standing up for his teammates while showcasing a brilliant performance, defending none other than DeMar, had many giving him flowers. Few drew attention to the fact that his history of on-court fights played a role in Brooks getting ejected. Despite it all, the All-Defensive second teamer was on a good run tonight.

The Rockets sailed to their seventh straight win behind Dillon Brooks

Apart from what one may opine on Dillon Brooks’ confrontation, he is an elite defender. The Canadian forward guard remained staunch in his duties and stayed on his prey for the night – DeMar DeRozan. Brooks finished the night with 23 points, two rebounds, one assists, and two steals with a true shooting percentage of 88.5 and +9. All of this in just 2.5 quarters.

Read More: Rockets Insider Reveals Shocking Reality About Dillon Brooks, NBA’s “Biggest Antagonist”

DeRozan, for his part, held a contradicting evening. He exited the Toyota Center with 16 points, two assists, and rebounds each while shooting a disappointing 4-of-15. Suffice it to say, his frustrations with his performance could have been what bubbled over in what was a rare display of emotions for a usually level-headed 6x All-Star.

Despite that, the Bulls had some highs too. Chicago’s Ayo Dosunmo finished with a game-high 35 points while Nikola Vucevic shone with a double-double (16-14). With tonight’s win, Houston is 33-35 in the West and three games behind the Warriors’ 10th place. If they continue tonight’s efforts going forward, there is no doubt that they might just find themselves in a play-in spot.