The Los Angeles Lakers fought and scrapped their way to a thrilling 117-111 overtime win in Game 4 over the Grizzlies on Monday night, and in doing so, they have put Ja Morant and crew on the brink of elimination.
For the second straight game, forward Dillon Brooks had a rough outing, and as he did after Game 3, he refused to speak to reporters.
Dillon Brooks declines to speak to reporters for a 2nd straight game: "I'm out"
🤣🤣🤣🤣
— Lakers Daily (@LakersDailyCom) April 25, 2023
Brooks was ejected from Game 3 after fouling LeBron James below the belt shortly after the start of the third quarter. He struggled to find the mark once again, going just 4-of-11 from the field while missing all but one of his seven 3-point attempts.
Los Angeles built a double-digit lead in the second quarter, but Memphis quickly turned what looked like a runaway L.A. win into a grind-fest. Brooks’ squad maintained a small lead throughout much of the second half, but it felt like a bigger deficit than it really was for the Lakers, who had trouble consistently hitting shots or even getting good shots.
Anthony Davis had one of his worst offensive games of the season, but he helped out on the defensive end and on the boards, and the Purple and Gold came through as a team by outhustling the Grizzlies down the stretch to come away with the victory. James powered them with 22 points and 20 rebounds, and six players scored in double figures for them, including Austin Reaves, who led them in scoring with 23 points.
Brooks has done a lot of talking and flexing in this series, but now he and his teammates are likely feeling crestfallen, as they will return to Memphis for Game 5 on Wednesday in a must-win situation. The Lakers, meanwhile, are on the brink of advancing past the first round of the playoffs, something which seemed unthinkable until the last few weeks.
