Dillon Brooks reflects on embarrassing feud with LeBron James

Brooks, who signed with the Houston Rockets this summer, styled himself as the Memphis Grizzlies' agitator before the playoffs. After the 2-seed Grizzlies evened their first-round series with the Los Angeles Lakers, Brooks had words for the 38-year-old star.

"I don't care. He's old," Brooks told reporters. "He wanted to say something after I got my fourth foul, he should have been saying that earlier on. I poke bears. I don't respect anyone until they come and give me 40."

James never did give Brooks 40 in the series, but it's equally hard to tell when Brooks "had him." In the first half of Game 3, James had 12 points on 6-of-10 shooting, before Brooks was ejected early in the second half of Game 3 for hitting James below the belt.

In Game 4, James tied the game with a layup at the end of regulation, as Brooks consciously refused to give help on his drive.

Then in overtime, James put the game away with an and-one against Brooks. James finished with 25 points. Brooks had seven.

The Lakers won the series in six games, and James shot 61.1 percent when guarded by Brooks. Brooks shot 31.2 percent overall and committed 20 fouls in 167 minutes.

It's nice that Brooks is so self-confident, but the only place he had James was in his own mind. But he likely won't have to deal with James in this year's playoffs, because the Rockets are unlikely to make it there.