Villain card: Dillon Brooks, Memphis Grizzlies show no remorse after Flagrant 2 foul against Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Name it soiled and uncalled for. The Cavs known as Dillon Brooks’ flagrant foul a lot worse.

However when Brooks and Donovan Mitchell had been ejected throughout the third quarter of Cleveland’s 128-113 win over Memphis, the Grizzlies known as it Thursday. One other recreation, one other skirmish. Memphis has been by three within the final two weeks.

Mud off your shorts and transfer on.

“I wouldn’t say common, however not irregular,” Grizzlies guard Danny Inexperienced informed cleveland.com when requested if the ejections had been attributable to typical NBA physicality. “We’re gonna have these video games. That’s who we’re. That’s our identification. Groups know who we’re. Groups don’t like us. It’s gonna be ceaselessly an uphill battle, night time in and night time out. We’re gonna need to struggle for the whole lot. We don’t need it straightforward.”

Inexperienced has solely been in Memphis since June, and he solely performed his first recreation this week after recovering from ACL surgical procedure. However the 14-year veteran has been round lengthy sufficient to know the franchise’s new spin on Grit N’ Grind. These Grizzlies don’t simply go to your own home courtroom, they intrude upon it. They could clear the benches whereas they’re on the town, too. They usually most definitely gained’t apologize for it.

Every Memphis participant who spoke after the sport defended Brooks’ actions throughout Thursday’s recreation. Desmond Bane rejected any framing of his teammate as a unclean participant. In Bane’s eyes, Brooks is solely Memphis’ most bodily participant and “the last word competitor.”

“There’s plenty of causes (for opponents) to not like Dillon Brooks,” Bane mentioned. “However we love him.”

Level guard Ja Morant postured Memphis as a sufferer, saying that the Grizzlies at all times eat the punishment in conditions like this, which solely happen as a result of different groups hate Memphis. And that friction solely exists as a result of the Grizzlies communicate their thoughts and play bodily protection.

“Some individuals ain’t constructed for it,” Morant mentioned. “They don’t prefer it. And I really feel like that’s why groups at all times get in that match with us.”

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Morant additionally masqueraded as Brooks’ media liaison when reporters approached Brooks after the sport. Brooks wouldn’t be taking questions in regards to the ejection, Morant mentioned. When reporters requested anyway, Brooks barely answered. “Nothing” led to the scuffle with Mitchell, he mentioned.

And when requested if he agreed with the referees’ resolution to eject him, Brooks made a joke.

“It’ll save me some Ts,” Brooks quipped. As in technical fouls. The NBA suspends gamers after 16. Brooks ranks second within the league with 13, which makes Thursday’s Flagrant 2 a small win.

Throughout the world, Cleveland discovered nothing humorous in regards to the Brooks incident. The normally mild-mannered Cavs took the rostrum armed with cuss phrases and accusations. Darius Garland wouldn’t even say Brooks’ title — “It was a unclean play from the opposite dude over there,” Garland mentioned. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff known as the play a “low-cost shot.” Mitchell known as on the league workplace to look into what he thinks is a sample of conduct from Brooks.

It’s laborious to make Mitchell – and the remainder of the Cavs – as mad as Brooks did Thursday night time.

Mitchell mentioned it’s not like him to get ejected (cleveland.com counted simply two such cases throughout Mitchell’s Utah tenure). Bickerstaff mentioned opponents generally mistake his staff’s kindness for weak point. And previous to tipoff, Bane known as Mitchell and Garland “composed killers,” a nod to the backcourt’s quiet swagger.

However when the killers performed the Grizzlies, it was laborious to maintain that composure. Similar to it was laborious for LeBron James, or Damian Lillard, or, most not too long ago, Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard. Uncommon is the participant who stays calm after being pushed to his boiling level solely to have the instigator act confused after they get mad.

The Cavs had been no completely different. Three hours after complimenting Cleveland’s backcourt, Bane and his teammates had been gaslighting them. Bane known as Brooks’ flagrant “unlucky, and that’s that.” Brooks sees no change needed with Memphis’ bodily model – “I simply suppose individuals don’t like me,” he mentioned.

Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins mentioned pregame that he’s been requested repeatedly about asking his gamers to tone down their aggression. He says no each time, and he didn’t sound prepared to start out when requested about Memphis’ physicality crossing a line postgame.

“It was aggressive and we attempt to arise for our teammates,” Jenkins mentioned.

The closest Grizzly to concession was Inexperienced, who admitted that Memphis remains to be studying to modulate its aggression and urged that Brooks may desire a re-do on his interplay with Mitchell (I’d wager towards that).

Don’t mistake context for sympathy, although. Inexperienced’s nonetheless a Grizzly, which suggests he’s nonetheless recreation for a scrap. Boundaries are for the refs to attract, Inexperienced mentioned. “Us? We’re gonna play chippy.”

If opponents take offense, get in line. Then recover from it.

“It’s worse at LA Health,” Inexperienced mentioned. “The league, the referees make it possible for there’s no BS happening. Really, the league is rather a lot safer, extra mild place than it was again within the day.

“I do know plenty of us want we might return to the older instances the place we might play bodily and nonetheless preserve taking part in. I’ve seen conditions occur earlier than the place guys might simply get technical fouls and play on.”

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