The Phoenix Suns losing a competitive game of basketball and Dillon Brooks being ejected from the game - it's a combination we have sadly become all too familiar with. Friday night brought the latest instalment, as Brooks was ejected for kicking out at Jamal Murray while attempting a field goal in the midst of his best game of the season. The reputation of Brooks alone means he has to know better, but Head Coach Jordan Ott did raise a valid point regarding this particular booting from the game.
Brooks and Murray competing hard as Canadian teammates
In the aftermath of the 127-120 defeat, Coach Ott spoke to the media - including Julia Lopez of AZ Family - and pointed out that "a couple of possessions before that (Brooks' ejection), I was trying to tell the officials they were national team teammates; they were going back and forth. It’s nothing malicious."
Suns head coach Jordan Ott on Dillon Brooks ejection. “They were National Team teammates, they were going back and forth, it’s nothing malicious… I hope reputation doesn’t play into that.” @AZFamilySports @azfamily pic.twitter.com/0a4NHHqSQ1
— Julia Lopez (@JuliaLopez3) October 31, 2026
Coach Ott is right, and Brooks has previous form for going at guys he has suited up with for Canada in the past. Any time he defends Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder, he gives it everything and attempts to get under his skin, and Murray is no different. It is that mentality that makes Brooks one of the best players in the league to have in your corner, and both "SGA" and Murray surely know that.
Was the kick out from Brooks a bit wild? Sure, which led Coach Ott to bring up Brooks' reputation with officials. He said he "hoped reputation didn't play into" the decision for Brooks to be tossed, but he does seem to have a stricter whistle than a lot of guys in the league. Not even a trip to China during the offseason to learn Kung-Fu appears to have had the desired impact of mellowing Brooks during these games.
Brooks needs to keep low profile in coming weeks as Suns need him
The former Memphis Grizzlies agitator is never going to change how he plays the game, and the Suns don't want him to. But whereas last season he was, at times, their best player and was a talisman for his ability to go at everybody and lock down elite offensive players, so far this season, that has not happened.
Instead, Brooks has regressed to the mean, and the first time he catches fire and the Suns are on the brink of pulling out a much-needed win, he finds himself on the wrong side of the referees. This roster doesn't have anybody else like him, and keeping his legs to himself on a jump shot should not be that difficult. Coach Ott is right to publicly back his star on this particular occasion, which has not always been the case for Brooks.
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