Watch: Dillon Brooks manhandles Shai Gilgeous-Alexander over loose ball as security and Rockets bench gets involved
Canadian teammates Dillon Brooks and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made the headlines during Sunday's contest between the Houston Rockets and OKC Thunder. During the fourth quarter, when the game was tied 113-113 with less than a minute left, the duo got tangled over a loose ball that saw Brooks manhandle Gilgeous-Alexander as he swung around with the two holding onto the ball.
Security and players from both teams got involved to separate them, while the Rockets bench was also in the frame. Here's the video of this incident:
Jaylin Williams held Brooks to create separation, encouraging everyone else's involvement in the tussle. However, nothing more transpired as Brooks and Gilgeous-Alexander laughed things off in the middle of the near brawl that erupted.
Dillon Brooks had the last laugh as the Rockets won 119-116 behind his go-ahead jump shot after his scuffle with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander that gave the Rockets some separation. Meanwhile, Fred VanVleet, who played an even bigger role than Brooks down the stretch, made the final four free throws to seal the win.
Shail Gilgeous-Alexander reacts to scuffle with Dillon Brooks
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's reaction to his scuffle with Dillon Brooks was the same as the duo ended it, without further escalating the situation. Gilgeous-Alexander downplayed the dust-up after the game, saying:
"Jumpball. Nothing else."
Brooks has a history of being the aggressor in such situations, and he's often involved in on-court altercations. However, the incident was much different on Sunday because of his equation with SGA. They have been part of multiple Team Canada rosters, and their mutual respect may have stopped them from escalating their scuffle beyond that brief stretch.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ended up on the losing team, but he had another MVP-caliber-like performance despite being guarded by Dillon Brooks for most of the game. He finished with 32 points, eight rebounds, five assists and two steals, shooting 52.6%, including 3 of 7 from 3.
The Thunder dropped 15-5 but remain atop the Western Conference standings. On the other hand, the surging Rockets are second after improving to 15-6. The top two teams have split their season series 1-1. They will play twice against each other after Sunday's clash.