Dorian Finney-Smith says he’s getting ‘butt-naked wide-open’ 3-pointers with Luka Dončić
The Lakers offense is starting to click with Luka Dončić, leading to open shots. Or, as Dorian Finney-Smith called them, buck-naked wide-open 3-pointers.
Dorian Finney-Smith is one of the few players on the Lakers roster with a history of playing with Luka Dončić. The pair found success in Dallas previously before DFS was sent to Brooklyn as part of the Kyrie Irving trade.
After time away, the pair reunited this season in Los Angeles. And while they may have had history, it didn’t mean it was an immediate transition back to their time together. After years away from Luka, or any superstar player, with the Nets, DFS has had to readjust to playing alongside one.
Though, he said it in a way more hilarious way.
“I’m back getting wide-open shots where I feel like I got to rush when I really don’t have to,” Finney-Smith said. “I got plenty of time. The last couple years, I ain’t been playing with guys like Luka, so I’ve been getting hard closeouts. But now I got that time. You butt-naked wide-open. Excuse my language. You wide open, so you just got to shoot the ball with confidence.”
Butt-naked wide-open 3-pointers.
Those can only be created when playing next to someone like Luka, I assume. Because I haven’t heard of them before.
Unfortunately, “butt-naked wide-open” is not a designation in the NBA’s tracking data, which simply stops at “wide open” looks. But to that point, since Luka’s debut, all 18 of DFS’ 3-pointers have either been classified as open or wide open with 14 of those being the latter.
He has still connected on six of those 14 attempts, or 42.8% shooting, which is certainly a solid percentage. But there is still a likely adjustment period not just with getting wide open looks, but the types of 3-pointers he’ll have with Luka — and LeBron — the remainder of this season as compared to the looks he had with the Nets.
Fortunately, he has experience with those looks, so some muscle memory will kick in. And hopefully that means knocking down more butt-naked wide-open 3-pointers.
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