Dillon Brooks

Devoting much of November 15, 2024’s energy towards preventing Los Angeles’ well-known Rocket-turned-Clipper from inching towards his goal of a record-setting 3-pointer No. 2,974, Dillon Brooks discovered that, ironically, his own perimeter shot didn’t require an inch of space, either. Guaranteed a difficult shot attempt, given a play clock showing just 1.1 seconds and an inbounds pass arriving from the floor’s opposite side, Brooks excels nonetheless, connecting on a heavy-traffic 19-footer over Terance Mann’s contest. The bucket helped the Houston Rockets — ultimately successful in their quest of defeating the L.A. Clippers for the second time in three nights — open a 13-point first quarter advantage in the NBA Cup opener. Pinpoint in catch-and-shoot scenarios throughout 2024-25's early season, Brooks maintained his red-hot rhythm during Houston’s fourth-consecutive win, contributing 17 points (on 6-of-12 shooting), two assists, five trifectas, and an eye-opening +37 plus-minus.