The legend of Ferrari Doe continues to grow

Ferrari Doe. It’s the high-end nickname for one of the most unassuming and humble players on the Dallas Mavericks. Even so, Dorian Finney-Smith keeps proving what a luxury it is for the Mavericks to have him.

Finney-Smith came up big for Dallas once again Saturday. With time running down, he knocked down the game-winning three-point shot from the right corner, completing the Mavericks comeback and notching a 114-113 win over the Sacramento Kings.

“Honestly, I kind of figured the ball was going to come there because of the play we drew up,” Finney-Smith said. “It was going to be JB down here and if he didn’t get the layup, I figured it was coming to me. I’m just happy he made a great pass, and I made the shot.”

With the game tied at 111 and 8.9 seconds remaining, Jalen Brunson brought the ball across halfcourt. He picked up his speed, drove right and got to the rim. Even though he likely had an easy layup, he looked right, and dished to Finney-Smith in the corner.

Finney-Smith caught the ball with five seconds left, rose, and let the ball fly. The ball kissed the iron as it fell through, barely moving the net, leaving 3.3 ticks on the clock and giving the Mavericks a 114-111 lead.

“It was our horns look,” Spencer Dinwiddie said. “JB made a great read, beat him to the basket, and I mean – really, he had the layup and the pass. I think trusting Doe-Doe to knock down a corner three is monumental because it also puts them in a bind.

“Now, you have to hit a three to have any shot at the game. Three seconds left, you pretty much have to hit a three and they ended up with probably the best look you can get with three seconds, but it’s not a high-percentage shot. Harrison Barnes fading [on the] left side, falling away – you’re probably going to win the game doing that. Doe-Doe is a great, especially right corner, 3-point shooter. It was a phenomenal play by the two of them and thank you for the win.”

Finney-Smith finished the game with 17 points, six rebounds, two assists, and two steals in 33 minutes. He shot 46.2 percent overall and hit five of his 11 three-point attempts. The Mavericks improved to 10-0 when Finney-Smith scores in double figures since the start of February.

The last play might not have unfolded like it did if Finney-Smith had not spoken up in the huddle. Initially, Josh Green was the player who was going to spot up in the right corner. Finney-Smith had other ideas.

“And then Dorian said as we’re walking out, ‘Can I be in that right corner?’” head coach Jason Kidd said. “[I said] ‘If that’s where you want to.’ He got in the right corner. He must have known [Brunson] was going to throw it to him. He asked, he wanted to be there. JB delivered a strike, and he did the hard part.”

Demanding his spot on the floor is something that would not have happened early in his career. That he did shows a level of growth and maturity.

“That’s just the confidence the coaching staff has in me, and I feel good that I can do things like that now,” Finney-Smith said. “Early in my career, I probably wouldn’t have even said anything at all, so it feels good that it worked out too. I probably gained Coach’s confidence, too, a little bit more today.”

In his last five games, including Saturday, Finney-Smith is averaging 14.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 1.8 assists. In those games, he is shooting 58.7 percent overall and 50 percent from behind the arc. Only Dwight Powell and Josh Green have a higher overall shooting average in that span.

Finney-Smith might not own a Ferrari–or even want one–but his shot making is every bit a high-powered, finely-tuned machine. He came up big when the Mavericks needed him most against the Kings, securing a much-needed come-from-behind win.

“Ferrari Doe. Big time shot,” Brunson said. “Coach put me in position to make a play. They helped a little bit and I saw Doe-Doe last second. Just hit him in the shooting pocket and the rest is history. So, props to him, that was a big-time shot.”