Mavericks: Dorian Finney-Smith has transformed into an elite 3-and-D option

Dallas Mavericks forward Dorian Finney-Smith has transformed into an elite 3-and-D option this season. See what it means for the Mavs.

The Dallas Mavericks have taken a massive leap this season. They won 33 games a year ago. The Mavs sit with 31 victories on Feb. 5. The organization could pass last year’s mark this week by winning their remaining three games.

The incredible turnaround has been sparked by Luka Doncic and his MVP play. He is averaging 28.8 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 8.7 assists per game. The 20-year-old also leads the league in triple-doubles. Doncic is attacking the basket more in his second season. That has improved his field goal percentage and helped Dallas become a historically great offense.

The Mavericks have received contributions from everyone, though. They won four of the seven games Doncic has sat out with ankle injuries. The addition of Kristaps Porzingis gives them a second star to rely on. Putting Seth Curry, Delon Wright, and Boban Marjanovic into the fold has given Dallas depth and matchup options against any team.

The leap from Dorian Finney-Smith is one of the most unheralded reasons why the Mavs are in the thick of the playoff hunt. He went from a below league average player as determined by Basketball-Reference’s win shares per 48 minutes to ranking 67th this season. The 26-year-old has improved on both ends of the floor.

Here is a look at Finney-Smith’s contributions, and why they are game-changing for the Dallas Mavericks.

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