Dillon Brooks’ reckless targeting of Stephen Curry sparked outrage.

Dillon Brooks has long been known for toeing the line between physical play and outright dirty tactics, but during the Houston Rockets’ Game 3 loss to the Golden State Warriors, he may have crossed into dangerous territory yet again.

In a heated matchup at the Chase Center, Brooks’ antics against Stephen Curry were not just aggressive, they bordered on reckless.

In the first quarter, just five minutes into the game, Curry received a kick-out pass from Jonathan Kuminga following a drive that collapsed the Rockets’ defense. With Brooks nowhere close to contesting properly, Curry launched a wide-open three-pointer.

Yet after Curry had already released the shot, Brooks came flying in unnecessarily late, smashing into Curry’s body and then flailing off to the other side.

No foul was called, but the message was clear: Brooks wasn’t just trying to contest, he was trying to set an early physical tone. Given Curry’s history of injuries, especially concerning his hands and wrists, the collision raised eyebrows immediately.

The physicality did not stop there. In the second half, Curry isolated Brooks, shook him with a crossover, and drilled a deep three right in his face.

But as the ball went through the net, Brooks made a troubling move: he swatted aggressively toward Curry’s injured right thumb not once, but twice.

Curry, showing incredible awareness, quickly pulled his hand back both times, avoiding potential contact. Still, the intention behind Brooks’ actions seemed clear to everyone watching: he was deliberately targeting Curry’s known vulnerability.

Adding to the concern around how physical the series has gotten, another moment from Game 2 became a huge talking point.

During that game, Warriors star Jimmy Butler, who had been critical to the team’s success all season, suffered a deep muscle contusion that forced him to miss Game 3.

Upon further review, video surfaced showing that Butler’s injury came from a bizarre and frustrating sequence: Rockets star Amen Thompson simply lost his balance and fell directly onto Butler without any push or significant contact from anyone else.

It was an unfortunate accident, but one that compounded Golden State’s injury concerns in an already brutal, physical series.

What made these incidents even more worrying was the growing sentiment that officials were letting Houston play far too physically.

After Game 2, former NBA big man DeMarcus Cousins openly warned that the Rockets were getting away with excessive contact, and Game 3 seemed to validate his concerns.

Brooks, ever the agitator, was taking full advantage of the loose officiating, pushing the boundaries and endangering the Warriors’ superstars.

Despite Brooks’ antics, Curry responded the best way he knows how: by torching Houston on the scoreboard. Curry finished with 36 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds, leading the Warriors to a pivotal 104-93 win that gave them a 2-1 series lead.

His performance, particularly in the second quarter and late in the fourth, was a reminder that no amount of cheap shots can throw him off his game when he’s locked in.

Still, the NBA may need to take a closer look at Brooks’ behavior moving forward. Targeting an injured body part, especially with multiple attempts to swipe at it, is not just unsportsmanlike; it is dangerous. If allowed to continue unchecked, it could escalate into something far worse.

Golden State, for their part, did not let the extracurriculars distract them. They stayed composed, leaned on Curry’s brilliance, and got timely contributions from their role players.

But as the series progresses, it is clear the Warriors will need to brace for more rough tactics from Brooks and the Rockets. After all, Dillon Brooks’ reputation isn’t changing; if anything, nights like Game 3 only cement it.