Dillon Brooks of the Houston Rockets is under scrutiny for his physical play and potential targeting of Steph Curry's thumb injury during their playoff series against the Golden State Warriors. In Game 5, Brooks all but confirmed he was targeting Curry’s thumb injury to help his team secure a win. When questioned about it, Brooks stated that if an opponent is playing injured, it's fair game to exploit that weakness, drawing ire and raising concerns about the physicality of his approach.

Curry appeared to injure his thumb in Game 5 after contact with Brooks, leading to visible frustration from the Warriors' star. Draymond Green suggested the Rockets were deliberately hitting Curry’s hand, a sentiment seemingly echoed by Curry himself, who noted that fouls should be called if they occur. Despite Curry's limited playing time in Game 5, the Rockets secured a 131-116 victory, narrowing the series deficit to 3-2. The game also saw a physical altercation between Pat Spencer of the Warriors and Alperen Sengun of the Rockets, resulting in Spencer's ejection for head-butting Sengun.

Brooks has a history of physical play and pushing boundaries, earning him a reputation for instigating fights. He was previously criticized for appearing to swipe at Curry's injured thumb in Game 4 and for making unnecessary contact during Game 5. His candid admission after Game 5 has amplified the controversy. Over the past three seasons, Brooks has accumulated the most technical fouls in the league, along with multiple flagrant fouls and ejections, underscoring his aggressive style. His past actions include a 2022 incident where he threw Steph Curry to the floor, inciting retaliation from Klay Thompson.

While the Warriors are understandably frustrated by Brooks' potentially dangerous play, their own Draymond Green has a similar reputation. The situation adds intrigue and physicality to the series, with Game 6 anticipated to be intense as the Warriors aim to close out the Rockets at home. The hope is that the series will be decided by skillful basketball plays rather than injuries resulting from overly physical tactics.