Dillon Brooks Throws Shade at SGA, Thunder Ahead of First-Round Playoff Series
While few teams are eager to face the reigning NBA champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, in the playoffs, Dillon Brooks of the Phoenix Suns is already turning up the heat ahead of their first-round matchup on Sunday.
Phoenix has exceeded expectations following Kevin Durant's departure, finishing the regular season with a 45–37 record. They carried that momentum into the Play-In Tournament, defeating the Portland Trail Blazers before knocking off the Golden State Warriors on Friday to secure a playoff berth.
Brooks, enjoying a career year in his first season with Phoenix, delivered solid performances in both games, scoring 20 points against Portland and 13 against Golden State. Now, he finds himself on a collision course with MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the top-seeded Thunder, who posted the league's best record.
Speaking after Friday's win on NBA on Prime, Brooks didn't hold back, calling out Oklahoma City's style of play.
"There are a lot of foul baiters on that team," Brooks said, drawing laughter from the panel featuring Dirk Nowitzki, Blake Griffin, and Steve Nash.
Dillon Brooks on the Thunder:
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) April 18, 2026
"There are a lot of foul baiters on that team. We gotta show our hands. I hope it's the real playoffs. Show your hands"
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Brooks is not alone in that assessment. The Thunder have built a reputation for drawing fouls with their aggressive approach, particularly Gilgeous-Alexander, who ranked among the league leaders in free throw attempts, averaging 9.0 per game.
However, Brooks believes Phoenix, one of the more physical defensive teams in the Western Conference, is ready for the challenge.
"We gotta show our hands. I hope it's the real playoffs. We can't be calling too many calls but… Show your hand, we gotta follow the scout, follow them in the paint, and be able to have our rotations proper," Brooks added.
Phoenix enters the series as clear underdogs, with Oklahoma City holding home-court advantage throughout the playoffs and arguably boasting the league's best defense. The Thunder went 34–7 at home during the regular season and lost just two home games in last year's playoff run en route to the NBA title.
"You know they shoot great at home. There's a reason they're the number one team in the NBA," Brooks added, while expressing confidence that the Suns can steal a game on the road.
Brooks' comments about foul-baiting may be an attempt to get under the skin of Gilgeous-Alexander and company, but he will also need to back it up on the court. Containing the MVP frontrunner, who is averaging over 31 points per game this season, will require disciplined defense and the ability to stay out of trouble.
Related: Dillon Brooks Explains Why He Wanted a Suns-Warriors Play-In Matchup
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This story was originally published April 18, 2026 at 4:40 AM.