This feels like an awfully familiar sight for Grizzlies fans. No one can deny how much Dillon Brooks energizes his teammates and changes the culture of every team he plays on. However, Suns fans are starting to understand what Grizzlies fans went through in both their 2022 and 2023 playoff runs. Dillon Brooks is simply an offensive liability once he's in the playoffs.
Obviously, the Phoenix Suns were going to face an uphill climb against a 64-win Oklahoma City Thunder team. However, Dillon Brooks taking more shots than Devin Booker and Jalen Green was a surefire way to lose against a strong Thunder squad defensively. Dillon Brooks ended with 18 points but shot just 6 for 22 from the field (just 27 percent!) and only made 3 of his 10 threes.
For context, Devin Booker had 17 field goal attempts, and Jalen Green had 16 attempts as well. They did not fare much better than Brooks, but it is simply counterproductive for him to be taking more shots than both. The Thunder were already going to present problems for the Suns due to their size and defensive activity, but Dillon Brooks made things easier for them as an isolation scorer.
The Grizzlies' recent downfall is not just because Dillon Brooks left
The Grizzlies have not been successful since their first-round exit against the Lakers in 2023. They have been riddled with injuries and have made the playoffs just once in the last three seasons. Even though he was certainly a culture setter in Memphis, it is definitely wrong to pin the Grizzlies' downfall on just the departure of Dillon Brooks.
Dillon Brooks' offensive struggles in the Grizzlies' 2022 and 2023 playoff exits are becoming a distant memory for many fans outside of Memphis. Brooks is a culture changer and has been an impactful defender throughout his NBA career. Unfortunately, his offense was a driving force in the Grizzlies' Next Gen Era not finding more playoff success.
Brooks was a big playoff liability for the Grizzlies offensively
The Grizzlies lost Ja Morant early in the series against the eventual champion Golden State Warriors in 2022. Despite losing Morant, the team still remained very competitive and could've potentially forced a Game 7. Multiple things led to the elimination of a promising young Grizzlies team, but Dillon Brooks played a huge role.
Dillon Brooks got ejected from the Game 2 victory for a hard fastbreak foul that resulted in a Flagrant 2 and led to Gary Payton II breaking his elbow. Brooks was suspended for Game 3 and went on to be a major offensive liability. Brooks shot a poor 5 of 19 from the field in a close game 4 loss and also shot just 31.6% from the field on 15.2 attempts per game.
In the 2023 first round exit to the Lakers, Dillon Brooks pretty much sealed the team's fate with how much he tried to get in LeBron James' head. After the Game 2 win, he famously mentioned how LeBron is old and that he pokes bears. Those words simply woke up the Lakers, and Dillon Brooks struggled badly throughout the series, shooting a poor 31.2% from the field and an even worse 23.8% from three.
The Suns likely have a Dillon Brooks decision to make soon
Those two bad playoff series are awfully similar to what Dillon Brooks did in Game 1 today against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Dillon Brooks simply takes away too many shots from other more talented players on the roster, and his defense is not good enough to overcome that trade-off. It also doesn't help that his words give other teams even more fuel in must-win situations.
Unfortunately for Suns fans, they are starting to live the same nightmare Grizzlies fans had with Dillon Brooks. The villain role is fun, and Dillon Brooks is a good culture setter; however, the payoff just isn't worth it with how much he struggles offensively in the playoffs. It might not be long before the Suns have to make a decision on whether or not Dillon Brooks is a reliable piece for them long-term.
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