Watch: Dillon Brooks sinks Memphis with his three-pointers again

Brooks hit a three-pointer in the final minute of Houston’s 103-96 victory over his old team on Friday, giving the Rockets a five-point lead. He then stole the ball and found Tari Eason for a breakaway slam to put the game out of reach.

Last year, Brooks’ poor shooting and shot selection put the brakes on Memphis at times, as he made fewer than 40% of his shots and just 32.6% of his threes. This season has been a different story, with Brooks making 38.8% of his triples and 46.6% of his field goals, a career high.

Friday night he led the Rockets with 26 points and hit three three-pointers, none bigger than the one late in the fourth. The Rockets moved to 13-9 with the win while Memphis dropped to 6-18, their playoff hopes nearly gone before Christmas.

The first half played out more like last season, with Brooks shooting 1-for-7 and the Grizzlies leading by 10 points. But it’s a new season, a new level of efficiency for Brooks and a new balance of power in the Western Conference.