National Basketball Association

LeBron James breaks silence on Dillon Brooks beef with pair of posts

Updated Apr. 29, 2023 2:44 p.m. ET

For the last two weeks, LeBron James hasn't publicly acknowledged the feud between him and Memphis Grizzlies guard Dillon Brooks.

Sure, the two exchanged words on the court in the heat of competition, but when James was given the opportunity to address Brooks calling him "old" and Brooks hitting him in the groin during Game 3 at the podium, he remained diplomatic, refusing to even say Brooks' name.

That all changed on Saturday.

Following the Los Angeles Lakers' 40-point blowout of the Memphis Grizzlies Friday evening, which put an end to the series, James tweeted lyrics from "Trouble" by Jay-Z, which were seemingly pointed at Brooks.

He also posted a slide show on Instagram with the caption "If you ever see me fighting in the forest with a Grizzly bear, help the bear," a less subtle callback to Brooks saying "I poke bears" when asked about taking aim at a player of James' stature.

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Brooks left Crypto.com Arena without speaking to reporters on Friday night. He ended his night with 10 points on 4-of-11 shooting from the field, four rebounds and two assists. For the series, he averaged 10.5 points per game on 31.2% shooting from the field, in addition to 3.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. Brooks will be an unrestricted free agent in July.

James and the Lakers will play their first game of the Western Conference semifinals on Tuesday. Their opponent will be determined on Sunday, when the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings will play a decisive Game 7 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento.