There's a strong case to be made that no team has a deeper collection of high-level forwards than the Los Angeles Lakers. Led by LeBron James and rounded out by Dorian Finney-Smith, Rui Hachimura, and Jarred Vanderbilt, Los Angeles' forwards have become a definitive strength.
Unfortunately, the depth chart took a hit when Rui Hachimura suffered a knee injury that could impact his availability during the Lakers' most recent game.
Los Angeles prevailed, securing a 111-102 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves and improving to 36-21 on the season. The win helped the Lakers continue their unrivaled form, improving to an NBA-best 16-4 since Jan. 15.
The win came at a cost, however, as Hachimura suffered a knee injury that head coach JJ Redick is hoping won't keep him out long.
JJ Redick on Rui Hachimura’s left knee strain: “We’ll get more information in the next 24 hours … I am not going to speculate on the severity of the injury. I am hopeful it’s nothing serious”
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) February 28, 2025
In the meantime, Finney-Smith is likely to be tasked with stepping up and proving he can be the starter that many have been claiming he can be.
Dorian Finney-Smith must step up in Rui Hachimura's absence
Hachimura had made significant strides on offense in recent weeks, primarily as a scorer. Between Jan. 30 and Feb. 25, he'd accumulated averages of 17.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.5 three-point field goals made on .551/.422/.741 shooting.
Expecting Finney-Smith to manage the same production would be unreasonable, but the need for similar value is unavoidable.
Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves will take center stage on the offensive end of the floor. It's a burden they're uniquely equipped to handle, especially with Doncic and James cementing their status as All-NBA mainstays and offensive juggernauts.
Finney-Smith must continue to help anchor the Lakers' perimeter on the other end of the floor, however, if the team is to overcome Hachimura's absence or limitations.
Thankfully, Finney-Smith has been a remarkable force for good during his tenure in Los Angeles. Across 22 games and 575 minutes played, the Lakers are outscoring opponents by a ridiculous 14.4 points per 100 possessions with Finney-Smith on the court.
Conversely, Los Angeles is being outscored by 0.6 points per 100 possessions without him on the floor—a 15.0-point swing.
The keys to Finney-Smith's success have been his emergence as the Lakers' best 3-and-D wing. He's shooting 41.2 percent on catch-and-shoot threes in 2024-25 while simultaneously forcing opponents to shoot 4.8 percent worse from the field as the primary defender.
With Hachimura conceivably out of the lineup for the time being, however, Finney-Smith will need to prove that he can fill the void left behind.