Dorian Finney-Smith Admits Lakers Didn't Use Coaches' 'Study Guide' in Spurs Blowout

All-NBA Second Team Lakers center Anthony Davis led Los Angeles with 30 points on 13-of-18 shooting from the field (2-of-5 from long range) and 2-of-4 shooting from the foul line and 13 rebounds. The 6-foot-10 Kentucky product also blocked two shots, stole the ball twice, and dished out a pair of dimes.

Still, things weren't entirely sunny for the nine-time All-Star. Davis finished with a team-worst -21 plus-minus, and looked old and plodding against the more bigger, more lithe Wembanyama.

For his part, sixth man Lakers small forward Dorian Finney-Smith noted that blame for the defeat should fall to the team, not head coach JJ Redick and his decorated staff, as Dave McMenamin of ESPN detailed.

"We didn’t execute the game plan like we were supposed to," Finney-Smith said. "But the coaches, they gave us the right answers to the test. We just ain’t use the study guide."

Los Angeles coughed up a 62-53 halftime lead in a brutal second half, that saw the club's defense collapse against a younger Spurs squad.

For now, Finney-Smith continues to come off the bench for Los Angeles. He hasn't gotten into much of a shooting rhythm just yet. To wit, he scored just four points on 1-of-4 shooting from the field and 1-of-2 shooting from the foul line, chipping in three rebounds and two steals, across 20:10 against the Spurs.

Across his six games for Los Angeles so far, the newly-acquired Finney-Smith is averaging 6.8 points on .438/.409/.800 shooting splits, 3.2 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 0.8 steals a night.

The veteran 3-and-D forward could make sense as a starter over either Rui Hachimura or Max Christie. Redick has been a strong advocate of Christie — and given the team's surprising four-year, $32 million investment in the raw young swingman out of Michigan State this past offseason — it's clear that Los Angeles brass envisions a big role for the 22-year-old.

But Finney-Smith is better right now, and could handily defend opposing guards and forwards as L.A.'s starting two guard.

Alternately, Finney-Smith could replace Hachimura at small forward, who's essentially a power forward playing down a position to accommodate an aging LeBron James' limitations defending opposing wings. Hachimura is better at that gig, but Finney-Smith is better than Hachimura.

Lakers West Rival Waives Former Los Angeles Center

Lakers Still Have Interest in $15 Million Center Ahead of Trade Deadline

For all the latest Los Angeles Lakers news and notes, stay tuned to Lakers On SI.