Dillon Brooks sat out the Grizzlies’ March 5 loss to the Clippers after reaching 16 technical fouls this season — hit that number and the league gives a player an automatic one-game suspension. After that, with every two more technicals a player earns another suspension.
Brooks had gotten another and was up to 17 heading into a critical game Monday night against Dallas, when he did this:
Dillon Brooks received his 18TH TECH of the season for taunting Mavs bench after this dunk 😨
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 21, 2023
He could be suspended Wednesday if not rescinded pic.twitter.com/puo16oYPbp
Brooks will likely be suspended by the league Wednesday against Houston, the game where it appears Ja Morant will return to the court. Don’t look for the Grizzlies to appeal and try to get this technical rescinded, as coach Taylor Jenkins said, via Joe Varden of The Athletic.
What was Brooks doing? Telling Theo Pinson he was a cheerleader.
I got some real estate I see..😂 https://t.co/V81QyWfxbf
— Theo pinson (@tpinsonn) March 21, 2023
Brooks’ rough night included him trying to do a jersey swap with Kyrie Irving after the game, but Irving not accepting Brook’s jersey (Brooks stepped on Irving’s foot during the game, aggravating an injury and had Irving leaving the building in a walking boot). After the game, Brooks admitted he needs to rein things in a little.
Brooks needs to do this for the sake of his pocketbook — this is two game checks lost to suspension, and that doesn’t even include the $35,000 fine for shoving a cameraman.
Brooks plays with an edge, it’s part of what makes him effective — he’s the guy that gets under the other team’s skin. However, it’s one thing to walk the line and another to step over it constantly. Brooks needs to do better at knowing where that line is.
The good news for the Grizzlies and Brooks is the technical count gets wiped out for the playoffs and starts over (with suspensions starting at seven).
