Even on the bench, Luka Doncic never stops ‘playing.’ While recovering from a Grade 2 hamstring strain, he’s been bringing the chaotic sideline energy throughout the series between the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets. And you know what, the Internet isn’t tired of clipping those moments and savoring them. After the Rockets forced Game 6, he had to bring his usual bench mindgames to mess with them little. Lucky for him, LeBron “Supposed to be Tired After Four Games” James gave him the ammo.
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Luka Doncic’s moment to shine came with around 10 minutes left in the first half. The Lakers were already up 27-18 by then. LeBron James carried that momentum with a three-pointer that put the Lakers up 30-18 during Saturday’s pivotal matchup at the Toyota Center. It provided his sidelined teammate to take center stage from the bench with a calculated taunt aimed directly at the Rockets’ sideline.
As the ball snapped through the net, Doncic, dressed in street clothes due to a lingering hamstring strain but still traveling with the team, stood up and pointedly signaled for a timeout toward the Houston bench. Translation: he’s recommending the Rockets’ take the immediate opportunity to regroup because King James means business.
And it’s significant too. All week, analysts have been worried about 41-year-old LeBron James’ endurance if the Lakers didn’t close out the series in four games. Charles Barkley claimed he’s bringing down the energy of the supporting cast in the last two games. Most believe he needs a younger playmaker like Doncic or Austin Reaves. That’s discounting the fact that Bron has a sudden decline from the three-point range this season.
LeBron hits the 3 & Luka signals that the Rockets should call a timeout. 🤣💀
The second-quarter surge initiated by James’ triple didn’t stop at the 10-minute mark. By halftime, the Lakers had extended their lead to a commanding 49-31, suffocating a Houston offense that looked lost without Kevin Durant’s scoring gravity.
In one three, James shut down talk about fatigue and Doncic drove the point home. His latest petty act, coming on the heels of a dominant Lakers run, appeared to specifically target the leadership of a Rockets squad currently missing their own primary weapon, KD, who is sidelined with a sprained ankle.
Luka Doncic’s favorite bench activity: trolling the Rockets
The move was a psychological dagger in a series already defined by high-tension bench interactions. Doncic has remained a vocal presence throughout the Lakers’ first-round series against Houston, frequently chirping at Rockets players and mocking their defensive rotations despite his inability to take the floor.
In Game 4, Luka twisted Alperen Sengun’s ‘Baby Jokic’ nickname by calling him “Baby Capela,” after a missed free throw. (First Deandre Ayton, then Doncic, what do the Lakers have against Clint Capela?) Of course, the taunt went viral despite the Lakers’ loss.
He also mocked Sengun’s footwork calling it “floppy” in Game 3. He also told Reed Sheppard he “stinks” after missing a technical free throw.
It may also be the Texas instate rivalry from his Dallas Mavericks days, but Luka’s spent many games in Houston as a Laker this season trolling the Rockets fans too.
It was not limited to the Rockets though. He teased his teammate, Maxi Kleber once and even went to bat for his teammates during the controversial ejections of Game 4 (NBA rules mandate that an inactive player cannot leave the bench during an altercation).
As LeBron James’ veteran presence has shouldered the offensive load in the absence of both Doncic and Austin Reaves, his burst of efficiency has left Rockets coach Ime Udoka searching for defensive answers. Maybe he should take Doncic’s advice and regroup. At the end of the third period, Houston is down 55-71. And the message from the Lakers was clear: even without their second-leading scorer on the court, they remain in full control of the series’ momentum.
