Dillon Brooks already has December 30 circled on his calendar. The Phoenix Suns guard will face LeBron James that night, and the matchup comes on James' 42nd birthday.

Brooks' reaction made it clear that the occasion only gives him more reason to want the win. When he realized the game would fall on James' birthday, he immediately saw another opportunity to make the matchup count.

"That's LeBron's Birthday too?... I’m excited," Brooks said to the press, as reported by ClutchPoints' Hayden Cilley. "That’s more ammunition for me to win that game, but it should be fun.”

Brooks is treating James' birthday match as extra motivation to come away with the win, giving James a pretty clear idea of what the Suns guard will be chasing when they meet.

Brooks and James have had their share of battles since 2023, which gives the December matchup more meaning than a normal regular-season game.

This time, though, the setting will be different. James will be wearing a 76ers uniform after leaving the Lakers this offseason, as he signed a two-year, $8 million contract.

The two will meet again on February 17, 2027, when James hosts Brooks and the Suns in Philadelphia. That gives Brooks and James two chances to add another chapter to their growing history.

That being said, now that James is on a new team, the chances of the two players furthering their rivalry will also be fewer.

Brooks also isn't worried about seeing James less often after the move to Philadelphia. If anything, he suggested that fewer meetings could make each one more meaningful.

"No, I'm not at all. But it'll build up for the games that we play," Brooks said to the press, as reported by ClutchPoints' Hayden Cilley.

LeBron James has several marquee matchups ahead with the 76ers

James' first season in Philadelphia will come with plenty of games that should attract attention. If this does turn out to be the final season of his career, those matchups could carry even more weight, according to College Sports Network.

The first comes on October 20, when James makes his 76ers debut against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

Then comes a return to Cleveland on November 6. James spent the early part of his career with the Cavaliers and returned to the franchise later in his career, so his first game back there as a 76er will draw plenty of eyes.

But the biggest one may come on Christmas. James will return to Los Angeles to face the Lakers for the first time since leaving the franchise, giving him a chance to play against the team where he spent the previous eight seasons.

James is now trying to make his new chapter in Philadelphia work, while the Lakers have moved forward with Luka Doncic as the centerpiece of their future.

For Brooks, though, December 30 is the game that matters most. He'll have James across from him on his birthday, and judging by his reaction, he's already looking forward to spoiling the celebration.

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Written by

Prit Chauhan

Edited by

Rudra Dubey