"Brooks done f***ed up lol" - Fans react as LA Lakers set playoff record in first quarter of Game 3
The LA Lakers got off to a record start in the first quarter in Game 3 of their 2023 NBA playoffs' first-round series against the Memphis Grizzlies at home. The Lakers took a 35-9 lead in the first quarter. It was the
the biggest lead for any team in playoff history after the first quarter.
The Grizzlies, meanwhile, recorded the lowest first-quarter score for any team this season. LA fed off the home crowd's energy to start things off. LeBron James inspired this fiery start as the others joined in later on. LA put in an excellent shift defensively, forcing turnovers and contesting every shot. Memphis went 1-of-14 initially.
It was the first playoff game with a full-capacity crowd for the LA Lakers in their building since the LeBron James era began, and the energy was impeccable. The Lakers crowd fired away at Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks even before the game started.
He took shots at LeBron after the Lakers' Game 2 loss, calling the latter "old" and saying he wasn't as good as his Cleveland or Miami days. James answered the call with four points, three rebounds and two assists in the first two minutes of the game.
Lakers fans online fired away at Brooks for his shots at James, suggesting that he was responsible for the Grizzlies' poor start. Here's what one fan wrote on Twitter:
"Brooks done f**ked up lol"
@Ballislife Brooks done fucked up lol
More reactions followed:
@LegionHoops any grizzlies player FOR THREE https://t.co/9TlrUTA5Oz
@LegionHoops Ja morant is the only βsuperstarβ in nba history to make his team worse ππ
@LegionHoops Dillon Brooks got himself in an entanglement https://t.co/WA0PXrbrT5
@LegionHoops πππ https://t.co/B1er0WAKdR
@LegionHoops https://t.co/oGe3WmIhyK
@LakersDailyCom DILLON BROOKS GOT WHAT HE ASKED FOR
@LakersDailyCom Ain't no way this is not intentional, the camera man is basically showing Brooks face on the bench every time π https://t.co/GQhEOpU0qc
LAKERS UP 35-9
https://t.co/ElfRcAhMSS
@SportsCenter https://t.co/0tDTPyv3lP
@BrunsonMuse @SportsCenter https://t.co/NwCJKGKRbO
@SportsCenter Dillon Brooks next season https://t.co/43J97FPyUv
Dillon Brooks gets ejected for hitting LeBron James below the belt during Memphis Grizzlies-LA Lakers Game 3
Dillon Brooks couldn't have had a worse night after the Memphis Grizzlies' 9-35 start in the first quarter against the LA Lakers. After getting blamed for the Lakers' increased intensity to start the game, Brooks found himself ejected after hitting LeBron James in the groin.
The officials assessed him a Flagrant 2. The play occurred early in the third quarter in the Lakers' backcourt. James brought the ball up, with Brooks guarding him up close.
Dillon Brooks was ejected from the game for this flagrant 2 foul on LeBron James.
https://t.co/vCi1yDifXF
Memphis has trailed the game since the get-go and fell behind by 29 points at one stage. The Grizzlies recovered a bit, bringing the lead down to 13 in the third quarter. However, Anthony Davis kept the Lakers' afloat, dropping 15 points in the opening 12 minutes of the second half.
The LA Lakers have been out of the Memphis Grizzlies' reach all game, so they are likely taking a 2-1 series lead into Game 4.