Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks speaks out against Minnesota Timberwolves following late collapse
Tensions were high during Friday's NBA Cup matchup between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Phoenix Suns.
Minnesota entered the game riding a two-game heater and had plenty of reason to feel confident in themselves. That confidence manifested itself into a heap of trash talk, especially from star players Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle. Their main opponent from the Phoenix side when it came to the verbal game was Dillon Brooks, who held his own when things got chippy.
Going into the fourth, with a one-point lead, Minnesota stepped up the trash talk another notch. But, as the quarter went on, an 11-2 run by the Suns in the final minute of the game shocked the Timberwolves and put Phoenix just ahead to take the game 114-113.
Heartbreak in the Desert
Randle had the ball in his hands in the final second of the game and Minnesota's chances of victory along with it. He pulled up for a game-saving three-pointer, and as the buzzer rang, Randle's shot was no good.
After a whole game of enduring chatter from the Timberwolves, Brooks took his opportunity postgame to savor his victory.
Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) moves the ball against Phoenix Suns forward Ryan Dunn (0) in the second half of an NBA Cup game at Mortgage Matchup Center."They were talking too early, and I love that. When guys get too confident and once the pressure starts heating up, their eyes start getting big, and they start getting scared. The person [Randle] who was talking too much made the two turnovers and missed the shot," Brooks said (via Duane Rankin).
The two turnovers that Brooks referred to couldn't have come at a worse time for Minnesota. Randle lost the ball on consecutive possessions within six seconds of each other, and the first of the two, a steal by Brooks himself, was converted into two points that put the Suns just one point behind.
Brooks Earned the Right to Talk Back
Brooks had a solid game himself with a team-leading 22-point performance, second in the game behind only Edwards' mountainous 41 points, while also grabbing five defensive rebounds.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) and center Rudy Gobert (27) react as they walk off the court after losing to the Phoenix Suns in the second half of an NBA Cup game at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn ImagesTrash talk is one of the hallmarks of any sport, but it's woven into the very DNA of basketball. And like most other aspects of the game, it only amplifies at the highest level.
While that kind of chatter is fun when you're up, it stings just as much when you're down, and to an even greater degree when you suffer a loss in heartbreaking fashion.
That's the unfortunate reality for the Timberwolves after Friday night and it's something they'll have to live with until they get a chance for revenge against the Suns on Dec. 8.