PHOENIX– On the Dillon the Villain t-shirt night, Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks made the absolute most of it. He posted a career-high 40 points and led the team to a convincing 114-96 win over the Detroit Pistons on Thursday.
The previously No. 1 team in the Eastern Conference had struggles containing Brooks all night. It was interesting too because many of the shots he made were heavily contested.
There was good defense, but better offense. Days before, Charles Barkley suggested that Brooks should be an all-star. Thursday's game only cemented that point and even had teammate Collin Gillespie singing his praises.
But his offensive growth didn't happen overnight. In fact, it took place at the end of his tenure with the Houston Rockets.
“I knew after the (first-round) series with Golden State that I wanted to be more of a scorer. More of an option,” Brooks shared postgame.
“So, the whole summer I was working on things, and then when the trade happened, that was an opportunity for me to be a well-rounded scorer and have more opportunity.”
I asked Dillon Brooks what sparked the change in his offensive game from last season to now.
“I knew after the (first-round) series with Golden State, that I wanted to be more of a scorer. More of an option. So, the whole summer I was working on things and then when the trade… pic.twitter.com/fJDwYiG6tH
— Hayden Cilley (@HaydenCilley) January 30, 2026
Opportunity comes in many forms, and the 2025-26 season has been plenty of that. Even playing alongside Devin Booker has shown how valuable Brooks really is.
Dillon Brooks has all the opportunity with the Suns
Phoenix Suns head coach Jordan Ott with forward Dillon Brooks (3) against the Detroit Pistons in the second half at Mortgage Matchup Center.
© Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
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When Booker missed time due to injury, he stepped up. When Jalen Green has missed majority of the season due to injury, Brooks has stepped up.
In big-game moments, like against the Oklahoma City Thunder in early January, he stepped up. There's a knack for the big moment, but in order for that to take place, opportunity has to present itself.
And sometimes, that opportunity comes through the form of trust. Head coach Jordan Ott has all the trust in the world for Brooks. Both men have seen each other work relentlessly in the offseason, and the mutual respect and understanding is there.
However, there was one particular moment in the third quarter that raised some eyebrows. Brooks was shouting at Ott for something that happened possessions earlier regarding a matchup.
“He told me I sucked in so many words that I messed up the last couple of possessions on who to get involved with him. He was right,” Ott explained.
“A lot of times I’m just smiling. The emotion, the passion, the care factor from and really the rest of the guys too, especially in these types of environments. To be in those, it’s new for me.”
When Brooks was asked about Ott's comments, he said it's not about who is right or wrong. It's about constant communication, and that's something both do very well.
A career-high performance was to be expected with the opportunity, but in the dominant fashion that it was? That might've been the biggest surprise of the night.