The Lakers will get some much-needed help with Dorian Finney-Smith returning to the lineup against the Bucks.
As the Lakers continue their four-game road trip, they get a key player back with Dorian Finney-Smith returning to the lineup.
DFS missed just one game due to left ankle soreness and will be available to play against the Bucks on Thursday.
Lakers Injury Report: Dorian Finney-Smith is back for Los Angeles. pic.twitter.com/2QWYZOwApj
— Edwin Garcia (@ECreates88) March 12, 2025
Finney-Smith will bring some much-needed defense and outside shooting for this team. He’s one of the best perimeter defenders on the roster and is converting on 39.3% of his 3-point attempts this season.
The Lakers struggled to contain the tanking Nets on Monday without him, giving up 18 3-pointers and allowing Brooklyn to grab 16 offensive rebounds en route to a 111-108 win over the purple and gold.
With DFS’ defensive tenacity and ability to knock down open jumpers, he will bring a level of execution that was lacking in the Lakers’ last outing.
While getting DFS back is a step in the right direction, the team will still have to play without Jaxson Hayes, who is unavailable.
Hayes is dealing with a right knee contusion and will miss his third consecutive game due to this injury. The absence of Hayes will be tough for the Lakers to overcome against a Bucks team that features Giannis Antetokounmpo.
With Hayes out, Lakers fans should expect Alex Len to play a role in this game. The Lakers big started against the Nets, and coach JJ Redick will likely keep him in the lineup.
With no other centers on the roster, the Lakers will have to rely on their two-way bigs, such as Trey Jemison and Christian Koloko, to try and slow down the Milwaukee star if they want to avoid losing their third straight game.
The Lakers tried to address their lack of bigs at the trade deadline by attempting to acquire Mark Williams before rescinding the deal. Currently, the team feels the consequences of never acquiring that quality center.
LeBron James and Rui Hachimura are out for this game, as expected. A Hachimura update will likely happen next week, and James is reportedly out for about 1-2 weeks with a left groin strain.
Hopefully, Luka Dončić, who is listed as questionable to play with right ankle soreness, can suit up and help LA get back in the win column.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.