Dorian Finney-Smith has emerged as a key piece of the Lakers squad ever since he was acquired. His shooting had a lot of room for improvement, but defensively, he has been delivering what the Lakers have been looking for. To be precise, he pulled off things that do not always reflect in the box scores, yet they make a difference, something that worked big time for the Lakers during their win against the Mavericks. “We don’t win the game if Doe doesn’t make three massive plays,” head coach JJ Redick had said. Even LeBron James had only good things to say about Finney-Smith.

“We knew exactly what we were getting when we got him. those three plays right there down the stretch, the Gortat screen getting Luka that layup when the game was tied, I drove left on one of my possessions and missed a floater and he tip-dunked it in, and then to be able to get a tip from behind that got us another easy basket, three of the biggest plays of the game. So when you got guys like Doe Doe, you just always know he’s gonna make winning plays no matter if it’s in the first or the fourth quarter,” LeBron had said after the Mavs game. On Monday night, against the Rockets, however, Finney-Smith did stuff that does show up in the box score.

Doe Doe emerged as a prolific shooter, draining six of his eleven threes and scoring 20 points. Not only that, paring with Gabe Vincent, who also had six 3s to his name, they became the first Lakers duo with 6+ 3P each off the bench in the same game. But wait, amid that shooting spree, did he do something that upset one of the squad’s most prominent superstars?

During the Lakers‘ latest showdown, Dorian Finney-Smith had the rock. LeBron wanted it. Badly. Instead, Finney-Smith kept it moving elsewhere—twice—and LeBron? He wasn’t just annoyed. He was visibly fuming. The body language, the look of disbelief—it was all there, clear as day. And just like that, the internet went into detective mode, trying to figure out if there was actual beef brewing in the Lakers locker room.

However, it might well be the case that the incident just happened amid the flow of the game. Because, as per Luka Doncic, Lakers’ chemistry does not look to be that fragile. “Off the court, it’s great. Everybody joking in the locker room. Then when we need to lock in, we lock in. So the chemistry is at great point right now,” Luka said after the game. In fact, Finney-Smith and LeBron have also been nothing but complimentary toward each other.

Just a few days ago, Finney-Smith was raving about playing alongside LeBron. He called it an experience he’d tell his kids about one day. He even joked about how relieved he is to never have to guard LeBron again—“I can finally ask for some of that gear,” he had laughed. Meanwhile, if we hear what Luka said after the Rockets game, Finney-Smith might not seem to be someone who would intentionally not want to pass the basketball.

Luka joked, that Finney-Smith “talks shit in practice when he shoots with me. So, I don’t know why he doesn’t do it in the game.” Maybe, to facilitate the likes of LeBron, Luka, and Austin Reaves. Luka’s next comment indicated, he is nothing but a teamman. “He’s a great player. Those players you need on a team. Never complain. You can play 48 minutes, play zero, he’s never going to say a thing. And he’s a fighter, man. I always love him, I always love how he plays, and just happy to be reunited with him,” Luka said.

So what’s the truth? It’s simple: LeBron demands perfection. That’s how he’s won four rings and stayed dominant for 20-plus years. Sometimes, that intensity spills out in frustration. And sometimes, that frustration just makes things look worse than they actually are.

LeBron’s locker room confession raises eyebrows

If you really want to know what’s going on in LeBron’s mind, you don’t need to guess. He tells you—just not always in the most obvious way. That’s exactly what happened in the latest episode of Mind The Game, his podcast with Steve Nash.

Sitting across from the Hall of Fame point guard, LeBron James casually dropped one of those classic “if you know, you know” comments. He started talking about the kind of players who elevate their teammates, the ones who make others believe they’re better than they actually are. Luka Doncic does it. Chris Paul does it. Nash did it. And, of course, LeBron does it.

But here’s where it got really interesting—LeBron brought up his early Cavaliers days. You know, that 2007 Finals run where he dragged a squad of role players all the way to the biggest stage. “I don’t go to the NBA Finals in 2006 if I’m not able to make them believe they’re greater than what they are,” he said. Now, was he simply reminiscing? Or was that his way of saying he’s feeling a little too responsible for the Lakers’ success right now?

Suddenly, that frustration toward Finney-Smith didn’t seem so random. The timing of all this is no coincidence. The Lakers are just weeks away from the postseason. This isn’t just about two missed passes—it’s about making sure every single play is executed at the highest level. LeBron knows what’s at stake. The Lakers have the firepower to make a deep run, but the difference between contenders and pretenders often comes down to the details. And if he has to check his teammates—even mid-game—to make sure everyone is locked in? Well, that’s just LeBron being LeBron.

So, is there drama? Maybe. But is it the kind of drama that tears teams apart? Not even close. If anything, this is the exact kind of fire the Lakers need as they gear up for their biggest challenge yet.