"Dillon said that? Huh": Steve Kerr seemingly takes quiet dig at Rockets forward calling Draymond Green dirty

Steve Kerr could not hold back a smile when a reporter told him Dillon Brooks called Draymond Green a dirty player. Late in the first quarter of Game 2 on Wednesday, Amen Thompson crashed into Jimmy Butler, who fell hard and suffered an injury. Brooks shut down talks of his teammate playing dirty by tossing the blame to Green, who pushed Thompson into Butler.

When told of Brooks’ statement on Friday ahead of Game 3, Kerr responded:

“Dillon [Brooks] said that? Huh. Interesting.”

Following the Butler injury, Steve Kerr talked to reporters after Game 2 and told them he did not believe the hit was intentional. The multi-titled coach called it “one of those plays.”

However, Dillon Brooks was more emphatic with his comments on that play. Kerr’s Houston Rockets counterpart, Ime Udoka, backed up Brooks.

"Amen's obviously not a dirty player. There's a difference between aggressive, physical play and being dirty and you could question some of their things as well on their end."

Game 3 will be on Saturday in the Bay Area, where Brooks is a favorite villain. In 2022 with the Memphis Grizzlies, he took a swipe at Gary Payton II, who was trying to make a layup. GPII hit the floor and fractured his elbow. Steve Kerr said the defensive specialist crossed a “line” during the play that led to Payton’s injury.

Kerr’s No. 3 Warriors beat Brooks and the second-seeded Grizzlies in that series 4-2. The coach is looking to replicate the same result for the No. 7 ranked Dubs against the No. 2 team in the Western Conference standings.

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Dillon Brooks called Steve Kerr’s Warriors a “stepping stone”

Before Game 1 of the Warriors-Rockets series, Dillon Brooks had a chat with Logan Murdock of The Ringer.

When asked about how he sees Steve Kerr’s Golden State Warriors, the defensive enforcer responded:

“Stepping stone. Brilliant team. Championship franchise. A stepping stone for us.”

The team Brooks called a “stepping stone” just stole home-court advantage with a 95-85 win in Game 1. Draymond Green and Co. could have a stranglehold of the series if they finish the Bay Area leg unbeaten.

In an already feisty series that Steve Kerr described as having a “1997” feel, Dillon Brooks added fuel to the fire. Game 3 cannot come soon enough for the players and the fans.