Los Angeles Lakers‘ top reserve Dorian Finney-Smith will return after his one-game absence just in time as they face the Milwaukee Bucks, who boast of an imposing frontline, on Thursday, March 12.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73827053/2191988381.0.jpg)
Finney-Smith sat out Monday’s loss to the Brooklyn Nets, his former team, with left ankle soreness. His return is a welcome development for the Lakers, who will continue to miss their starting frontcourt LeBron James (left groin strain) and Rui Hachimura (left patellar tendinopathy) and Jaxson Hayes (right knee contusion).
Finney-Smith has modest averages of 6.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists while shooting 42.7% from the field and 35.1% from the 3-point line in 27 games with the Lakers this season. His statistical averages do not show his real impact.
Lakers coach JJ Redick has credited Finney-Smith for the team’s turnaround. They jumped from 21st in defensive rating before his arrival via trade from Brooklyn to No. 1 since mid-January.
“He’s brought a level of toughness,” Redick said, per Clutchpoints’ Erik Slater. “The spirit to want to defend. Guys have responded well to who he is as a player, a teammate.”
Finney-Smith has formed a formidable wing stopper tandem with Jarred Vanderbilt, who recently returned from a foot surgery.
The Lakers have a tough test ahead of them against the Bucks’ starting frontline of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brook Lopez and former Laker Kyle Kuzma.
It remains to be seen if Finney-Smith will also be available when they play Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets on Friday, March 14 to end their grueling four-game road trip.
Lakers Fans Hyped for ‘Vincent Van Doe’
Finney-Smith, Vanderbilt and Gabe Vincent, who scored a season-high 24 points against the Nets, are three defensive-minded players who lead the Lakers bench.
Their chemistry on both sides of the ball is viewed by the Lakers fans as a work of art that they have christened the trio with the nickname “Vincent Van Doe,” a play of words derived from legendary painter Vincent van Gogh’s name.
Jarred Vanderbilt is aware of this nickname and is a fan of it: https://t.co/4ExipH9osG pic.twitter.com/yTrCYTmQBd
— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) March 5, 2025
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
“Yeah, I like it,” Vanderbilt told reporters last week when the nickname, which has gone viral on social media, was brought up. “I thought it was pretty dope. They had a little paint behind it too. So, yeah, I mean, that’s our job, that’s what we come in and do, man. We come in and play hard, get extra possessions, do all the dirty work, man.
“We’ve been setting that tone on that end for quite some time now. So amongst each other, before the game starts, obviously the starters start. With bench mob, we have a pep talk with each other. And that’s our job to come in and set the tone and be the defensive guys and do the dirty work. And yeah, so we’ve been doing a great job. But shout out to them guys, man, Gabe, Doe, Trey, that whole second unit, even DK, stepping up. So it was a great team effort.”
Jaxson Hayes’ Injury Raises Concern
Dr. Evan Jeffries, an NBA and NFL injury expert and owner of the San Diego-based Evolving Motion Physical Therapy, expressed his concern on Hayes’ injury.
“Starting to gain some concern with Jaxson Hayes being OUT a third consecutive game with a knee contusion. He continues to have knee swelling. Concern would mount if he misses further games and needs imaging,” Dr. Jeffries wrote on X.
The Lakers starting center sustained the injury before fouling out in overtime of their 113-109 win over the New York Knicks at home on March 6.
Here’s what happened he did finish the game pic.twitter.com/cuFJGjsE9O
— The Lakers Chip (@Lakerschipp) March 12, 2025
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
In 19 starts this season, Hayes averaged 7.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.2 blocks in 24.2 minutes.
