Dorian Finney Smith was shining in a game where the Los Angeles Lakers’ Big Three struggled to score.
Despite a tough filming night for most players, the Los Angeles Lakers were able to register the Houston Rockets for a 104-98 victory.
Usually, LeBron James’ Big Three, Luka Donsic and Austin Reeves carry the offensive burden on the team.
However, against the rocket, the trio paired with just 48 points, with Donsic alone reaching the 20-point mark. Thankfully, the Lakers’ supportive cast has stepped up to director JJ Reddick.
Since trading with the Lakers, Dorian Finney Smith has established himself as a fan favorite. The main reason behind it is the DFS’ ability to notch his game when the team is in trouble.
He did it on a 20-point scoring night against the Rockets. Lakers Nation loved Finney Smith’s impressive outing and only praised him.
“Tonight’s Unsung Heroes was him and Gabe Vincent.”
“Great. Absolutely huge.”
“Durian really showed up tonight.”
“The fourth best option right now.”
“Just what he needs tonight!”
“DFS in playoff mode.”
Apart from Finney-Smith, a few fans also praised Gabe Vincent. With all that in mind, having such a talented role player is why the Lakers become a Dark Horse candidate to reach the final of the Western Conference.
Doncic, Finney-Smith and Vincent were tied together as the Lakers’ top scorers. Even among them, Finney Smith was the most efficient player as he finished the night at 46.2% off the field, including a 54.5% show from Deep.
With that in mind, Donsic revealed in a post-match interview that the veteran urged the DFS to shoot more as it appears that the forward has given them multiple open look shots.
“So good. I said he had to shoot more. He was open like three or four more times (but) he didn’t want to film, so I told him (continue filming),” Donsic revealed.
Given that Don Sic and Finney Smith share a bond from the Dallas Mavericks era, Luka wanted to trust his 31-year-old shooting stroke.
DFS didn’t nail those extra looks, but he also put a defensive masterpiece with six rebounds, two steels and three blocks on his name.