The Athletic’s live coverage of the 2026 NBA Play‑In Tournament spotlights Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks, who openly says he’d rather face the Golden State Warriors than any other opponent. “Steph and Draymond…and Steve Kerr,” he told reporters after Thursday’s practice, citing his history of on‑court clashes with the Warriors’ stars. In December, Brooks was flagged for a hard foul on Stephen Curry, prompting Curry to call the move “bush league,” while coach Steve Kerr recalled a 2022 playoff hit on Gary Payton Jr. that broke the younger guard’s elbow. Brooks thrives on provocation, even naming LeBron James his “dream 1‑on‑1” nemesis in a recent Suns social‑media poll. The Suns are desperate after a loss to Portland, needing Friday’s elimination game in Phoenix to claim the West’s eighth seed and a matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Defeating Curry—who dropped 27 of his 35 points in the second half of a recent win over the Clippers—will be Brooks’s biggest challenge, and he insists the Suns are ready.
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