When the league released the 2023-24 schedule, Dillon Brooks made a few personal goals he wanted to accomplish amid his first season with the Houston Rockets. Wednesday night inside the FedExForum, Brooks will have a chance to achieve one of his most meaningful goals.
A Rockets' victory against the Memphis Grizzlies would give Houston a 4-0 regular season sweep against Brooks' former team. The game will mark Brooks' fourth game against the Grizzlies and his second in Memphis.
His initial return to Memphis came on Dec. 15, where he led the Rockets to a 103-96 road victory. Brooks scored a season-high 26 points on 10 of 20 shooting. He scored 24 points during the second half to help the team overcome a horrific first quarter, where Houston trailed by 17 points.
"It is always going to be special," Brooks said. "I spent seven years there. I want to go 4-0 [against them] while doing it the right way."
Brooks could be in for a prominent scoring performance in Memphis. He has been one of the Rockets' top go-to scorers over the previous four games, averaging 20.0 points on 43.5 percent shooting from the field, 53.6 percent from behind the arc.
In Houston's 105-103 victory over the New York Knicks Monday night, Brooks nailed six of his seven attempts from beyond the arc en route to scoring a team-best 23 points in the win.
He has taken on an increased scoring role due to the Rockets being short-handed over the previous few games. Coach Ime Udoka said Brooks' scoring has been "needed."
"You know Alpi [Alperen Sengun] was out a game and then obviously Fred [VanVleet] being out for a few," Udoka said. "You have to make it up somewhere with all the bodies missing.
"In general, this year, I think he's done a good job of really expanding his game and not getting pigeon-holed into [the] defensive side only. He's playing composed basketball, taking very efficient shots. Good shots for him."
Brooks signed a four-year deal to join the Rockets following an unpleasant departure from the Grizzlies in July. However, Brooks has great memories when reflecting on his time in Memphis.
It was the place where Brooks established himself as one of the league's best defensive wings while laying the groundwork to the Grizzlies success as a western conference powerhouse.
During the first three games against the Grizzlies, Brooks has averaged 16.6 points on 42.8 percent shooting from the field. The Rockets have win by an average margin of 13.3 points.
I always miss Dillon, and he knows that," Jaren Jackson Jr. said. "Everybody knows that. I played with him forever. I've been injured with him. I've seen him play injured. I've seen him give his all to that place. They loved him there for a while. That was my brother, and that's beyond sports. That's my boy."
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