Eight three-pointers dispelled the scorching sun, and the Dallas "electric fan" became the hero of the equalizer

When the 4-group series in the second round of the East and West Regions was played 2-1 this year, people looked at the Suns vs. Lone Rangers series differently from the other 3-group series. Therefore, today's Lone Ranger pulled the total score to a 2-2 draw, which was indeed unexpected by many people. In terms of merit, Dorian Finney-Smith (DFS), 8 of 12 three-pointers, received the most flowers and applause. Even Doncic lamented his lack of vocabulary when he praised him after the game. When it comes to the NBA's failed draft to write inspirational stories today, we can't forget him.

Because of the harmonic sound of its initials, DFS is often jokingly called "electric fan" by domestic fans, and today he is like a cool electric fan to Dallas fans in the hot summer. In the whole game, he played 38 minutes, 12 of 13 shots were three-pointers, hit 8 goals, got 24 points and 8 rebounds, scored second on the team, rebounded first on the team, and had a plus-minus value of +11. He hit eight three-pointers alone, just one goal less than the Suns (9-of-25).

Since entering the NBA in 2016, DFS has only played for the Lone Ranger. Just turned 29, he played 80 games in the regular season this season, averaging 33.1 minutes per game, scoring 11 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals, shooting 47.1% from the field and 39.5% from three-point range. His playing time reached a new career high, and he did not live up to the love of the team, playing a quality and quantity performance, averaging points, assists, steals and three-point shooting rates per game also set a new high, and the overall shooting rate was the second in his career.

In addition, DFS's offensive efficiency this season is even with career records, with efficiency values, win-winning contributions per 48 minutes and true plus-minus values also breaking career records, and the true shooting percentage (60.4%) is the second highest in career. Just in February this year, the Lone Ranger just renewed his contract with DFS for 4 years and 52 million. The Lone Rangers officially said they were reluctant to risk losing such a valuable role player and a "living treasure" that was popular in the locker room. And DFS's performance in this year's playoffs proves that he did not let the team's investment in himself be lost.

DFS was born on May 4, 1993 in Portsmouth, Virginia. In his early years, he .C in his hometown. Norcom attended high school. In his senior year of high school, DFS averaged 19.7 points, 13 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks per game. In August 2010, DFS committed to joining Virginia Tech. In his senior year, DFS averaged 18 points, 10.7 rebounds and 3.8 blocks per game, leading the team to the Group AAA state championship for the second consecutive year. He has been twice named Virginia 3A League Player of the Year and was named to the state's Best Player of the Year.

In Virginia Tech's first season, DFS played in 33 starts and 30 games, averaging 6.3 points and 7 rebounds per game, and was named to the ACC Division's Best Freshman Team.

But after only one season here, DFS transferred to the University of Florida and paid the price of a season of recuperation. In the 2013-14 season, DFS finally played for the University of Florida, becoming the second SEC region best sixth-man award winner in school history, and led the team in both total rebounds (247) and rebounds per game (6.7), becoming the love of billy Donovan, then the coach of the University of Florida men's basketball team and the current Bulls coach.

In the 2014-15 season, the third year of DFS, he averaged 13.1 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, shooting 42.6% from three-point range, winning the team's top score and rebounding championship, and was named to the SEC Division's Best Second Team. In the 2015-16 season, DFS averaged 14.7 points and 8.3 rebounds per game, continuing to lead the team and again being named to the SEC Division's Best Second Team. During his time at the University of Florida, he scored 1,220 points, ranking 36th in the history of the university and becoming the first transfer student in the history of the university to achieve a total score of 1000 points.

However, DFS's performance did not win the favor of NBA teams, and he was left behind in the 2016 draft. Fortunately, DFS quickly reached an agreement with the Lone Ranger, and after participating in the Summer League with the team, he impressed the Lone Ranger executives in the training camp and preseason, and finally stayed. At that time, DFS and the Lone Ranger estimated that they did not expect that this relationship would make the two sides cooperate to this day. From the perspective of today's "after-the-horse", the 2016 draft DFS should at least have the value of the second half of the first round.

The Lone Ranger can be described as "employing people" for DFS. In the first five games of the 2016-17 season, he played four games, averaging just 1.1 minutes per game. But from Game 6 of his career, DFS was suddenly promoted as a starter, and his playing time soared to 32 minutes. From then until the end of the season, DFS played almost no more than 10 minutes (averaging 20.3 minutes per game in the season), and played 81 games to catch 35 starts. For a failed draft, this is a rare and valuable thing.

From there, DFS began his slow but fruitful improvement. In the 2019-20 season, he sat firmly in the lone ranger's starting position, averaging 9.5 points and 5.7 rebounds per game, shooting 46.6% from the field and 37.6% from three-point range, marking his official entry into the core lineup of the Lone Ranger and rewarding the Lone Ranger's 3-year, 12 million contract extensions in 2019. This season, the "Carp Jumping Dragon Gate" DFS has gone up another level, playing the best season of the career.

To be able to go from losing the draft (which may be related to the fact that DFS has been in college for too long) to today, with an annual salary of tens of millions of dollars and a core lineup of playoff teams, DFS relies on its own efforts. In an interview after this year's contract extension, DFS revealed that his mother still refused to quit his job at the fried chicken shop after he entered the NBA, because he signed an insecure contract for the first 3 years, and his mother was a person who was "in peace and danger".

DFS is also a complacent person. At the end of the rookie season, he laughed at himself as "only thinking he was a shooter during training", adjusted his shooting posture, changed the problem of shooting arc flat, and developed a stable three-pointer in the fourth season of his career to have today's shooting performance. DFS said it was thanks to Doncic and Wesley Matthews, but he also had to thank himself because "I don't want to be left behind by my teammates".

Today, DFS is no longer the crisis-filled, precarious draft winner, but the league recognizes as a qualified 3D player. He has excellent physical fitness, the offense is mainly no ball, inside and outside, can participate in blocking and demolition, can also defend multiple positions, and is good at assisting defense, often taking on the heavy responsibility of defending the opposing arrow figure.

As the saying goes, "Opportunity always favors those who are prepared". When the opportunity comes, those who are willing to pay 120% of the hard work and sweat to seize the opportunity are also worthy of praise, and DFS is one of the leaders. Maybe we should remember Doncic's assessment of DFS after the game: "He's very good, he's a Warrior, he's incredible, I don't have any other words to praise him." (Supine Braces/Hairy)