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The Memphis Grizzlies saw the return of forward/guard Dillon Brooks, now a member of the Houston Rockets, on December 15, 2023. The 27-year-old former University of Oregon star had previously triumphed over Memphis when the Grizzlies visited Houston. However, this marked his first game against them on their home turf. In what was seen as a revenge match, Brooks played a pivotal role in securing the Rockets' third consecutive victory over the Grizzlies this season by contributing 26 points.
In a tweet dated December 16, the Rockets acknowledged the significance of the game for Brooks: "It wasn’t just another game for Dillon Brooks." Furthermore, Brooks himself commented on the exhilarating comeback victory in Memphis.
The Associated Press (AP) reported that Brooks initially struggled during his homecoming game, managing only one successful shot out of nine attempts in the first half. The Rockets were also trailing by an early double-digit deficit before Brooks regained his form after halftime and ignited a significant rally for Houston. Apart from scoring an additional 24 points, Brooks made a decisive 3-pointer with minimal time remaining to secure control for the Rockets for the rest of the match and their fifth consecutive win.
Yahoo Sports reported that during the first half, a video tribute to Brooks was displayed by the Grizzlies which moved him to tears. According to Yahoo Sports, he expressed his determination never to lose to Memphis throughout his career: "I don’t want to lose to Memphis ever in my career," he said. "Regardless of how we get it, if I go get 20 or if I have zero points, I want to win every single time we play Memphis… just to let them know they made a little mistake."
According to The Athletic’s X account, Brooks's crucial 3-pointer was loaded with emotion. He was quoted saying: "A lot of things I’ve been holding in and just wanted to release. It just felt good with my people in the arena, watching me play."