The Oklahoma City Thunder may be dominating the Phoenix Suns on the scoreboard, but the real fireworks are happening at the microphones. As OKC prepares for Game 2 of their first-round series, rookie phenom Chet Holmgren has made it clear: the Thunder are completely unfazed by Dillon Brooks’ infamous brand of “mental warfare.”
Following a 119-84 demolition in Game 1, the narrative has shifted from the Suns’ inability to score to Brooks’ desperate attempts to disrupt the Thunder’s rhythm. Before the teams hit the floor for their second meeting, Holmgren took a direct swipe at Brooks’ mid-game antics.
Chet Calls Out the Antics
Responding to Brooks’ habitual attempts to get under opponents’ skins—which often involve refused handshakes, aggressive stares, and refusing to hand the ball back to officials or players—Holmgren was blunt.
“I wouldn’t hand him the ball, either,” Holmgren said, via The Athletic.
The comment highlights a growing sentiment within the OKC locker room: the Suns’ veteran forward is a non-factor in their game plan. For a young Thunder squad that many expected to be rattled by playoff intensity, their collective response to Brooks has been one of cold indifference and clinical execution.
Brooks’ Game 1 Nightmare
The numbers suggest that Brooks’ focus on “toughness” has come at the expense of his actual production. In the series opener, the Thunder defense turned Brooks into a spectator on his own court. His statistical breakdown from Game 1 tells a grim story:
- Points: 18
- Field Goal Percentage: a dismal 27.2% (on 22 attempts)
- Discipline: 4 personal fouls and 2 turnovers
By forcing Brooks into high-volume, low-efficiency shooting, OKC has essentially neutralized one of the Suns’ primary defensive irritants. Brooks spent more time chirping at Shai Gilgeous-Alexander than he did stopping him, as the Thunder MVP candidate continues to dismantle Phoenix’s defensive schemes with ease.
A Series at the Crossroads
Game 2 stands as a pivotal moment for both franchises. For Phoenix, it is a chance to reset and prove that Brooks’ veteran presence can translate into winning basketball. For Oklahoma City, it’s an opportunity to twist the knife and move one step closer to a sweep.
The Thunder enter Game 2 as the heavy favorites to win the Larry O’Brien trophy, bolstered by a “scary” stockpile of first-round picks and a roster that plays with a maturity far beyond its years. If Brooks cannot find a way to let his game do the talking, Chet Holmgren and the Thunder seem perfectly happy to let him talk his way right out of the postseason.
