Dallas Mavericks: Dorian Finney-Smith will earn his keep early

The Dallas Mavericks will be without Harrison Barnes for at least the first game of the season. Dorian Finney-Smith will look to capitalize on his increased role.

When it was announced that Harrison Barnes came down with a hamstring injury and was questionable for the Dallas Mavericks season opener, I felt like they were looking pretty far into the future. Now the Mavs are one day away from the first game and I can’t figure out where the time has gone.

Barnes was officially ruled out for this one a few days ago and even at that time I felt like they called it too early. It really is hard to grasp that after this great Mavs summer, the season is finally here. The only person who may be more excited that it is here is Dorian Finney-Smith.

After a tough season last year, Dodo was in line to possibly fall out of the rotation. An undrafted rookie that missed a majority of his second season is not exactly a player with a solid spot on an NBA roster. However, this summer and preseason proved that he is in the right place.

Dorian Finney-Smith is in store for some big minutes in the first few games. Aside from being the only true small forward on the roster other than HB, Dodo is also an excellent defender with an improving shot. Getting reps with the starting lineup of Luka Doncic, Dennis Smith Jr., Wesley Matthews and DeAndre Jordan is a great time to work on your shot.

So what can we expect from Dorian this season?

If he does well in his little trial period here, I don’t think it would be crazy to see him getting 15-18 minutes a night. His strength as a defender will always help him find the court again.

On the other hand, if he doesn’t perform well right off the bat, there is a very real chance that Maxi Kleber or Ryan Broekhoff step up into that backup role and do even better. DFS is going to need to be at the top of his game to start off the season. Otherwise, he could face the wrath of Rick Carlisle.

I am a fan of Dorian Finney-Smith and think he can be a key asset to the team this season. Hopefully he sees the opportunity that is in front of him as all the Mavs fans see it.