Dorian Finney-Smith Is The IDEAL Fit For Ime Udoka’s Rockets!

Dorian Finney-Smith Is The IDEAL Fit For Ime Udoka’s Rockets!

This season, in pure one-on-one situations, Dorian Finny Smith quietly put together one of the most underrated defensive campaigns in the league. Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Jason Tatum, Jaw Morant, Kevin Durant, Nicola Joic, and Steph Curry, six of whom were allstars, shot a combined 3 for 21 against him. That’s just 14.3% from the field. What is even more impressive is that no other defender in the NBA who faced more than 10 field goal attempts from both Durant and Joic held them to a lower shooting percentage than DFS did. And when it came to Mitchell and Ja, DFS ranked top three leaguewide in terms of lowest field goal percentage allowed against both players. That’s how elite he’s been defensively. Yet almost no one talks about it. Sure, there are still aspects of his defense that could improve, and we’ll get into those later. But let’s start with what’s made him such a standout in isolation defense. Across the season, both with the Nets and after being traded mid-season to the Lakers, DFS ranked in the top 30% of all NBA players in ISO defense. And when we narrow the lens to just his time with the Lakers and compare his metrics to those of the Rockets top wing defenders, DFS holds his own. In fact, among that group, only the newly acquired Kevin Durant allowed fewer points per possession on ISOs. Of course, that stat doesn’t exactly account for matchup difficulty. DFS was consistently tasked with guarding the opposing team’s best offensive player night in and night out. And even though he came off the bench, he still logged nearly 30 minutes per game. Always the Lakers go-to perimeter stopper in second units. Now, when you add him to a Rockets team that already boasts elite wing defenders, the dynamic shifts entirely. DFS is no longer burdened with having to guard the opposing team’s best scorer on a nightly basis. Instead, he gets to focus on secondary or even tertiary scoring options. And if he was already putting up elite ISO defensive metrics while guarding primary options, just imagine the kind of lockdown numbers he’ll post when matched up against lesser threats. Against wings, his defensive toolkit is elite. He’s got the agility to stay in front of quick creators and the absurd 7ft wingspan to disrupt everything. Passing lanes, shot attempts, you name it. That wingspan makes it incredibly tough for opponents to get a clean look, even when they manage to create some space. Take a look at how DFS defends his now teammate Durant on ISO. KD tries to shake him with some slick dribble moves, a crossover into a drive into a pull-up jumper, but DFS stays attached the entire time and uses his massive 7ft wingspan to contest KD’s shot perfectly. That’s textbook defense and exactly what you want as a defender when going up against one of the greatest scorers ever. Now look at him against Tatum. Tatum sizes him up, looking to break him down off the dribble. But watch Dorian’s footwork. It’s sharp, always repositioning, never flat-footed, allowing him to be in position to contain any drive. Tatum then tries a spin move to get separation, but DFS stays glued to him. And even when Tatum backs him down and tries to muscle up a shot, DFS doesn’t flinch. He stays vertical, keeps his hands up, and challenges Tatum’s shot perfectly without fouling. The possession ends with Tatum losing control of the ball and the Nets regaining possession. A great example of disciplined, high IQ defense. But against quicker, shiftier guards, DFS can occasionally be beaten off the dribble. His height, while an asset in many areas, means he lacks the low center of gravity that smaller guards use to explode off that first step. It’s one of the few limitations in his defensive arsenal. Fortunately for him and for Houston, he won’t be the one asked to chase those lightning quick ball handlers around the perimeter. That responsibility will fall to younger, more agile defenders like Almond Thompson and Tari Een. DFS will be tasked with guarding bigger wings and forwards. Matchups that play directly into his strengths. Against these players, his mobility and lateral quickness are more than enough to stay in front, cut off drives, and disrupt shot attempts. And even when matched up against players who try to use their strength to bully him in the post, DFS rarely backs down. He holds his ground, absorbs contact, and forces difficult low percentage shots. But perhaps the most underrated aspect of DFS’s game, and something Rockets fans are going to fall in love with is his relentless motor on defense. He simply doesn’t give up on plays. Among players logging around 25 to 30 minutes per game, DFS ranks in the top 25% in distance covered on defense. Whether it’s rotating to cover an open shooter, providing timely help defense, recovering back to his man, or navigating through offball screens and on ball actions, DFS is constantly in motion, always engaged, always hunting stops. Even in transition, DFS is the kind of player who never takes a play off. He hustles back on defense, doing everything he can to prevent easy buckets. That level of energy and commitment is tailor made for the Houston Rockets, a team built on grit, effort, and constant defensive rotation. The Rockets pride themselves on their ability to swarm, help, and recover without ever giving up on a play, and DFS fits seamlessly into that identity. But his impact doesn’t stop there. That same motor carries over to the offensive end, especially when it comes to crashing the glass. DFS brings a hunger for second chance plays, and he’s now joining a team that led the league in both offensive rebounds and second chance points last season. His addition will only amplify what the Rockets already do best, turning missed shots into more opportunities and keeping defenses under pressure possession after possession. And when it comes to his offensive role beyond the glass, DFS has continued to evolve. This past season, the Lakers had success using him as a screener in pick and roll actions with Luca Donuch. When defenses doubled Luca coming off those screens, DFS consistently popped out to the perimeter, stretching the floor and giving Luca a reliable kickout option. Thanks to Luca’s elite passing vision and DFS’s growing confidence from deep, that connection led to plenty of open looks. In fact, DFS just had the most efficient shooting season of his career from beyond the ark, knocking down over 40% of his threes for the first time ever. He’s become a legitimate floor spacing threat. What makes using DFS as a pick and roll screener so effective goes beyond just the screen itself. It’s his underrated passing and highle decision-making. When Luca swings the ball back to him, DFS doesn’t force the issue. If the shot isn’t there, he stays composed. Say a help defender rotates over to contest after he pops out. DFS consistently makes the right read. Whether it’s finding the open shooter in the corner or hitting a cutter, diving to the rim, and when he chooses to roll instead of pop, he becomes a weapon on the short roll, drawing help and delivering pinpoint lobs to the big man for easy finishes. This type of versatile screen and react playmaking is something Emuoka could lean into heavily next season, especially in pick and rolls with Durant, who like Luca, demands frequent double teams off the screen. Pair that with DFS’s ability to stretch the floor, and he starts to look like an ideal pick and roll partner. Not just for KD, but also for Ammon or even ShenGun. And even when DFS isn’t directly involved in the action, he still manages to make his presence felt. His most obvious weapon, the catch and shoot three. When defenders get caught overhelping and leave him open, DFS punishes them, consistently knocking down those open looks from beyond the ark. But his impact goes beyond just spot-up shooting. He’s not afraid to put the ball on the floor and attack closeouts, especially when his defender is scrambling to recover after helping elsewhere. Take this possession for example. Kendrick Williams is left in a tough spot trying to guard both DFS and the rolling Vanderbilt. Recognizing this, DFS smartly shades toward the wing, trying to pull Williams away from the paint, right where Vanderbilt is heading. Luca sees this and delivers a sharp pass to the now open DFS, who wastes no time. With Williams momentum carrying him out to the wing, DFS puts the ball on the deck and drives hard. As Hartinstein steps up to help, DFS makes the perfect read, dropping it off to Vanderbilt for an easy slam. It’s another example of DFS’s highle awareness and ability to make the right play even when he’s not the focal point of the offense. He’s always reading, always reacting, always ready. There’s a lot to love about DFS’s game, and Rockets fans will get a front row seat to it next season. With Durant now in the mix, the potential synergy between KD and DFS could add an entirely new wrinkle to Houston’s system, one that’ll be fascinating to watch develop. Until then, thanks for tuning in. I appreciate all your support and I can’t wait to dive into more film with you next time. very high percentage early in the season.

Dorian Finney-Smith Is The IDEAL Fit For Ime Udoka’s Rockets!

What’s in today’s video?

Timestamps :
0:00 – Intro
0:48 – What Makes DFS So Special On ISO Defense
4:06 – His Relentless Motor Sets Him Apart
5:31 – How DFS Became A Reliable P&R Threat Last Season
6:59 – What Makes DFS Such A Dangerous Off-Ball Threat

Dorian Finney-Smith just put together one of the most quietly elite isolation defensive seasons in the entire NBA—despite rarely being mentioned among the league’s top defenders. Opposing stars like Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum, Donovan Mitchell, Ja Morant, Steph Curry, and Nikola Yokić shot a combined 3-for-21 against him in iso, just 14.3% from the field. That includes holding KD and Yokić to their lowest shooting percentages of the season among any defender who faced them 10+ times.

Yet, despite these eye-popping numbers, DFS flew under the radar for most of the year. He wasn’t a starter, and he wasn’t always guarding the league’s top scorers by design—but he was locking them up. And now, in Houston, he’ll no longer have to take on every top assignment. Surrounded by elite defenders like Ahmen Thompson and Tahri Eason, DFS can focus on the matchups that best suit his strengths—bigger wings, high-usage scorers, and late-game stops.

In this breakdown, we’ll dive into what makes DFS so effective as a one-on-one defender—his footwork, wingspan, defensive IQ, and nonstop motor. We’ll also explore how his offensive role has quietly evolved. From knocking down a career-high 40% of his threes to making high-level reads out of short rolls, DFS is much more than just a defensive specialist.

Now joining a Rockets team that thrives on grit, hustle, and help defense, DFS could be the perfect addition to Ime Udoka’s system. Could he be the glue guy that helps take Houston’s two-way identity to another level? Let’s break down the film and find out.

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