Dillon Brooks picked up his 16th technical foul of the season on Wednesday night. He was T’d up during the Rockets vs. Jazz game where the Rockets blew out Utah from the get-go. Brooks will face a one-game suspension because it is his 16th technical foul of the season. He is now one behind Anthony Edwards for the most in the league. Brooks is also at risk of missing more games due to suspension if he picks up two more technicals. Dillon Brooks’ suspension is coming at a bad time for the Rockets as they are fighting to keep their spot as the second seed in a jam-packed Western Conference playoff race.
The Bad Timing of Dillon Brooks’ Suspension From Technical Fouls
A Dillon Brooks Suspension is On the Way
Near the very beginning of the Rockets vs Jazz game, Brooks picked up his 16th technical foul of the season. He was backing down Collin Sexton in the post, and as he got stripped, he kicked his leg up into the groin area of Sexton. After the officials took a look at the play, Brooks was assigned a technical foul, pushing him to the regular season limit of 16. Per the NBA rulebook, Brooks will now face a one-game suspension. Brooks will also receive a $5,000 fine for the technical (.002 % of his $22 million contract this season).
Brooks a Key Figure For The Rockets
Missing Brooks, even for one game, will hurt the Rockets. Although Brooks is a controversial player in the league, his value to a winning basketball team is hard to deny. He has been a huge reason that the Rockets have turned around their franchise. Outside of his play, Brooks brings the intangibles of being an enforcer and the tough backbone for the Rockets’ young team.
Outside of intangibles, Brooks is simply playing great basketball this season. As always, he is one of the best perimeter defenders in the league, but his improvement on the offensive end, specifically in three-point shooting, has taken his game to another level. Brooks is shooting a career-high 39.4% from three, making him a true three-and-D star.
Rockets’ Spot in the Western Conference Playoff Standings
Although it is only one game, Dillon Brooks’ suspension could have real ramifications for the Rockets. Right now, they are fighting to keep the second seed in the West. The Nuggets and Lakers are right on their tail. The Rockets are only two games in the loss column above the Lakers and three above the Nuggets. Just a couple of losses and the Rockets could see themselves fall from the two seed to the fourth. They don’t want all the hard work of their amazing season to have less meaning.
Unfortunately for NBA fans, the game Brooks will be suspended for is the much anticipated Oklahoma City Thunder vs Houston Rockets game. Fans were hoping to see the potential one and two seed in the West duke it out in what could be a preview of the Western Conference Finals. Now, the Rockets will be without one of their key players in the game.
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