Dorian Finney-Smith vocal on Lakers defense amid minutes cap update

LOS ANGELES – When is The Los Angeles Lakers traded for Dorian Finney-Smith in a deal with the Brooklyn Nets, they acquired the type of wing defender they’ve been missing since the departures of Alex Caruso, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Danny Green. With almost a month since the trade, the Lakers are getting back to Dorian Finney-Smith early are very promising, especially in defenseamid the minute limit.

Lakers coach JJ Redick recently mentioned that Dorian Finney-Smith was on a minutes restriction due to the ankle injury he’s been dealing with since the start of the regular season. But this month, Redick was allowed to increase Finney-Smith’s minutes.

The result was his best performance yet as a Laker during the team’s 111-88 win against the Washington Wizards on Jan. 21. He poured in 16 points while shooting 4-0f-6 from the three-point line. But even with a big offensive night, it was his defensive performance that really made a difference in the win. After that game, Finney-Smith spoke about his approach to defense since joining the team.

“I’m just trying to make sure my voice is heard, my presence is felt.” “When I’m out there, I just try to be one of the loudest guys on the field,” Finney-Smith said. “I hear him coming back to me with LeBron and AD, and they start talking when I start yelling. It was fun. I enjoy being out there with those guys. We just have to. . .pick up the wins.”

Dorian Finney-Smith’s impact on the Lakers

Since coming to the Lakers, he has felt, as he said, Finney-Smith’s presence. He recently started for the first time since the trade during the Lakers’ 118-108 win against the Golden State Warriors amid Rui Hachimura’s absence. He finished with eight points and three rebounds while shooting 2-0f-3 from the three-point line.

He played 26 minutes, the most he has played since joining the Lakers. With increased minutes, Redick believes Finney-Smith will greatly benefit from playing with the rest of the group.

“Doe is a guy who, from day one in the NBA, has embraced his role, so the role is constant with him. “And that’s being a tough, shifty defender, being active with your hand defensively, being a talker, being a screener, a cutter, a shooter,” Redick said. “He will never get out of that role.” . .obviously we’re hoping that if he’s out there with more minutes and we play a good, connected offense that he’ll benefit from that with his ability to play in space, his ability to attack the shutout and his ability to cut.”

The increased playing time after the minutes limit will take some getting used to, and against the Wizards, Finney-Smith joked that he got very tense early in the game.

“It was a crazy two to three weeks. . .under a minute limit, sometimes it’s hard to try to find your style with the team,” Finney-Smith said. “I probably played the longest in that first half.” I felt like my lungs were going to collapse, but it was fun playing with these guys, just trying to pick up some wins.”

Since joining the Lakers, Finney-Smith has averaged 6.5 points and 2.9 rebounds on 46.9 percent shooting from the field, 41.7 percent from the three-point line and 80 percent from the free throw line.