Dillon Brooks explains his constant provocations toward LeBron James
January 23, 2026
Nicolas Flamecourt
Dillon Brooks explodes for career-high 40 points against Detroit
Historic performance by Dillon Brooks against the Pistons. The Canadian sets a new career-high with 40 points in the Suns' 114-96 victory, propelling Phoenix to a 29-19 record.
Jan 29, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) defends against Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks (3) in the first half at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Photo Credit : © Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Dillon Brooks delivered the performance of his career Thursday night in Phoenix, scoring 40 points in the Suns’ convincing victory over the Detroit Pistons (114-96). The 30-year-old Canadian surpassed his previous career-high of 37 points, set in 2021 with the Memphis Grizzlies.
This offensive explosion came on a special night for Brooks, as the Suns organization had distributed « Dillon The Villain » t-shirts to the first 5,000 fans in attendance, a reference to his fiery on-court personality.
The first 5,000 fans in attendance tonight will receive a Dillon The Villain shirt 😈
STAR WARS © & ™ 2026 Lucasfilm Ltd. LLC pic.twitter.com/fKa5n1OD0Y
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) January 29, 2026
A spectacular surge for Phoenix
The 6’7″ forward finished the game with an excellent 13/22 shooting, along with 8 rebounds. He had already set his career-high by the end of the third quarter with 38 points, before adding a basket with 5:43 remaining to reach 40 points.
Grayson Allen provided valuable support with 24 points, allowing the Suns to dominate a Detroit team that is currently leading the Eastern Conference. Cade Cunningham (26 points) and Jalen Duran (23 points, 13 rebounds) tried to keep the Pistons in the game, but without success.
Phoenix took control from the first quarter by making their first four 3-point attempts, building a 16-point halftime lead. Brooks had already scored 24 points before the break, hitting multiple difficult shots and jumpers.
This fifth win in seven games propels the Suns to a 29-19 record, reaching 10 games above .500 for the first time this season. Brooks, who arrived this summer in the trade that sent Kevin Durant to Houston, is having a breakout season averaging over 20 points and emerging as a surprise candidate for his first All-Star Game selection.
With a background in sports management, Nicolas Flamecourt covers NBA news with a particular passion for the North American league, which he has been following for several years. He also covers the NCAA, including news and scouting of future prospects, and regularly conducts interviews with French players as well as players competing in Europe.
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