"That's what the NBA and Adam Silver should do" - Former Chicago Bulls lottery pick calls for Memphis Grizzlies man to be suspended following dirty foul in Game 2
The Golden State Warriors' series against the Memphis Grizzlies has now witnessed two ejections in two consecutive games. Warriors forward Draymond Green was served a Flagrant 2 after fouling Brandon Clarke and was ejected.
Last night, Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks fouled Gary Payton II, breaking his left arm in the process. Brooks, too, was ejected from the game.
While many objected to Green's foul on Clarke as not being worthy of an ejection, the case for Brooks' foul was very different. A Flagrant 2 was rightfully deserved, but some are even calling for a suspension.
Thats a Fragrant 2 on Brooks and should be suspended for Game 3! He’s outta line for that. Real Talk!
Former NBA player Jay Williams, on ESPN's "Keyshawn, JWill & Max," also called for a suspension. He explained why the foul was an outright dirty-play despite Brooks having no prior reputation as a dirty player, stating:
"Dillon Brooks should've been ejected in that game, and he should be suspended for another game. That's what the NBA and Adam Silver should do."
Gary Payton II suffered a fractured elbow in GM2 after this foul by Dillon Brooks.
Steve Kerr: “Brooks broke the code.”
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"Dillon Brooks barely left the ground and he winds up, if you're gonna foul somebody hard in a fastbreak, you jump and you meet them at the rim, you let your body connect with them and you try to beat it up that way but you don't club them over the head."
Williams also believes that Brooks' foul was worse than Green's and deserves a one-game suspension:
"Clubbing somebody over the head while they're in transition is bad a look, It's a worse foul than the Flagrant 2 that I had for Draymond Green...the NBA needs to do the right thing here and suspend Dillon Brooks for Game 3."
Gary Payton II suffered a fracture in his left elbow and will undergo an MRI today.
What does Gary Payton II's absence mean for the Golden State Warriors?
The 2021-22 season was definitely Payton's career breakout. He hit career-highs in games played, field-goal attempts, points and rebounds.
Coming off the bench, Gary Payton II's defense on the perimeter, his occasional corner three-pointer and hustle all contributed to Golden State's impressive record.
He also led the Warriors in steals per game (1.4 SPG in 71 games) and total steals (96). In fact, his per 36-minutes statistics stand out more so than any other player coming off the bench at 14.5 points and 2.8 steals per game.
In the absence of Payton, the Warriors will look to Andre Iguodala to cover the defensive loss. An elite wing-defender with a high basketball IQ, Iguodala is no stranger to playoff pressure.
On the other hand, not many can cover for Payton's athleticism. His cuts to the basket and dunks are non-fungible assets and cannot be replicated by any player on the Warriors.