Inside The Rockets

Don't Forget About Rockets' Dillon Brooks

Dillon Brooks will play a key role for the Houston Rockets this season.

Jeremy Brener

Oct 7, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks (9) warms up before the game against the Utah Jazz at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images
Oct 7, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks (9) warms up before the game against the Utah Jazz at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images / Rob Gray-Imagn Images
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With all of the young talent on the Houston Rockets roster, it can be easy to overlook the impact that Dillon Brooks has on the team.

However, the Rockets will need another strong effort from Brooks in his second year with the organization.

While Tari Eason and Cam Whitmore are breathing down Brooks' neck for playing time at the small forward position, Brooks is slated to be the team's starting small forward for the season.

Brooks, 28, averaged 12.7 points per game in his first year with the Rockets while shooting nearly 36 percent from beyond the 3-point line. But Brooks will make most of his impact on the defensive end of the floor, and that is where he will make his money.

Brooks will likely have the responsibility to guard the opposing team's best scorer, which isn't a position that should be taken lightly. With the Rockets' young core getting better on the offensive side of the floor, it will allow Brooks to become a true 3-and-D specialist with an emphasis on the defensive game.

The Rockets emerged as a top-10 defense last season, and Brooks' insertion into the lineup was a big reason behind the success. Now with a year under his belt, Brooks can continue to be the defensive stalwart he is and lead the Rockets to new heights.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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