Fans turn in hilarious reactions to Dillon Brooks' game-winning block on Darius Garland
Dillon Brooks put Darius Garland on a highlight reel after blocking the guard on the last play of the Cleveland Cavaliers vs Memphis Grizzlies game. With the Grizzlies walking away with a dub on the back of a clutch defensive play, NBA fans couldn't resist reacting to the block to seal the game.
NBA action on Wednesday night saw two of the most promising young teams face off against each other. With the Memphis Grizzlies taking on the Cleveland Cavaliers at home, the game promised to be an exciting one.
The Cavs were facing a fair bit of a disadvantage in this game. While an away game in Memphis poses a challenge in itself, Cleveland were also playing without their star Donovan Mitchell.
However, the Cavaliers still managed to hang tough against this Memphis unit. Running the game down to the last second, Cleveland almost stole the game from the Grizzlies, who remained undefeated in 2023.
The dying seconds of the play saw Memphis take the lead on the back of a clutch tip-in by Steven Adams, who cleaned up for Morant's missed layup. After taking a one-point lead, the Grizzlies practically clamped down on the Cavs.
Dillon Brooks came up with the decisive game-winning block to put an end to matters. Having earned a reputation as a pest on the defensive end, Brooks hounded Darius Garland on the perimeter and blocked the forced shot attempt to seal the game for Memphis.
DILLON BROOKS BLOCKS DARIUS GARLAND AT THE BUZZER 😳
That's 11 in a row for the Grizz. https://t.co/Xc8nhTXH5D
With the exciting matchup giving off the air of a playoff game, fans couldn't contain their excitement while watching the display. As Brooks came up with the block to put an end to matters, fans also sent in their reactions to the play on Twitter.
Here are some of the best ones:
@BleacherReport https://t.co/VxVcxEbjFZ
@BleacherReport Best team in the league
@BleacherReport why garland settling for 3???????
@BleacherReport Taking a 3 down 1 is wild behaviour
@BleacherReport Dude thinks he’s a hall of Famer 😂
@BleacherReport curry can't relate 😭💀😭💀
@BleacherReport me after slandering Brooks all season https://t.co/n4P3JaHPiU
@BleacherReport Brooks: https://t.co/QMJCzGGHF2
@BleacherReport Dillon brooks acting like that isn’t the first time he’s done anything all season
@BleacherReport I think the grizzlies need to be…humbled https://t.co/IFnWQvTVXs
@BleacherReport Garland could’ve at least drive to basket and try to get a foul instead of taking a Steph curry Dame three https://t.co/C35SUaEsmU
@BleacherReport Brooks & jaren defense first team
@BleacherReport Literally a foul
@NBA JB Bickerstaff trying to figure out how to not fumble the bag at the end of games https://t.co/nso3R2fpdj
@NBA Grizzlies after a non conference win https://t.co/UsbQ74Eh8W
@NBA Enjoy that Mickey Mouse victory, yall know that wasn't 5 seconds
The Grizzlies practically had Darius Garland in hell as they thwarted him on almost every shot attempt in the last minute of the game. While there was some controversy regarding the delay of game call, Memphis still managed to come up with a win in a rather difficult situation.
Dillon Brooks has been valuable when it comes to his contributions on the defensive end. Although he has a bad reputation for being a dirty player, Memphis certainly benefitted from his efforts on Wednesday night.
Rolling on to their 11th win in a row, the Grizzlies appear to be practically unstoppable.
Darius Garland couldn't carry Cleveland to a win
Wednesday night's matchup between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Memphis Grizzlies saw an impressive set of performances from both rosters. Although Memphis walked away with the win, both teams put on a show for the crowd at the FedEx Forum.
On Cleveland's side, the team saw Darius Garland and Caris LeVert lead the scoring charge. With the backcourt duo combining for 47 points, the Cavs had a solid contribution from their starting guard duo.
Meanwhile, their frontcourt trio also put up impressive numbers. With each recording double-figure scoring and Jarrett Allen notching a double-double of 18 points and 15 rebounds, Cleveland were solid.
Donovan Mitchell's absence and Memphis' late-game defense may have shifted the tide in the Grizzlies' favor.
However, Memphis were graced with equally impressive performances. Ja Morant and Desmond Bane combined for 49 points on the night. Jaren Jackson Jr. and Steven Adams also notched double-digit scoring.
Darius Garland may have attempted to do too much by the end of the game. Attempting forced three-pointers in the situation may not have been the best solution. However, with scope to develop, the Cavs will hope to learn from these losses.