DESPITE the constant hits he had gotten from Dillon Brooks all night long, Luka Doncic doesn’t hold any personal grudge against the Canadian enforcer.
The Dallas Mavericks star praised Brooks for doing what he’s tasked to do for Canada, which scored a 100-89 win over Slovenia to clinch a semifinals berth in the FIBA World Cup Wednesday night.
See Luka Doncic explains why he lost his cool in Slovenia loss
Doncic admitted the controversial 6-foot-6 Brooks played physical against him, which had been the root of the two technical fouls slapped on that led to his ejection midway in the fourth period.
Nonetheless, Doncic still holds the 27-year-old NBA veteran in high regard even as he appears to have taken on the villian role in basketball with gusto.
“Dillon played great. He was playing physical like he always does,” said Doncic of his primary Canadian defender in their quarterfinal match. “A lot of people don’t like him, but I respect him for what he does.
Brooks, who had previous issues with LeBron James, Donovan Mitchell, and Gary Payton II regarding his physical plays, had major contribution in the victory that sent Canada to its first ever semifinals stint in the World.
The recent Houston Rockets acquisition finished with 14 points, three rebounds, and three assists before exiting the game when he incurred a second technical foul just minutes before Doncic would likewise get ejected.
Brooks was later seen wearing a boxing gloves on both hands on the hallway leading to Canada’s dugout following the win.
His antics may not be to Doncic’s liking, but his game is something the Slovenian has respect for.
“He does that stuff really good,” he said of Brooks
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