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Though he signed with the Rockets as a free agent in the NBA’s 2025 offseason, Dorian Finney-Smith didn’t make his Houston debut until Christmas.
Known for versatile defense and perimeter shooting (a career-best 41.1% last season), the veteran forward underwent ankle surgery last offseason and needed additional time to rehabilitate.
And even though Finney-Smith did return in late December, he hasn’t looked the same since. In 26 games with the Rockets, the 32-year-old is having a career-worst season in overall shooting (30.1%) and 3-point shooting (25.4%), all on just 16.7 minutes per game.
It is worth noting that the Rockets are 4.1 points better in net defensive rating when Finney-Smith plays, but that is more than offset by a 12.8-point decline in offensive rating.
As it turns out, there is a good reason for those struggles. Via Varun Shankar of the Houston Chronicle:
As part of his rehabilitation plan, Finney-Smith still isn’t cleared to play on both ends of back-to-backs. Thus, after playing Thursday versus Golden State, he is expected to sit out Friday’s home matchup versus Portland.
Finney-Smith is under contract for next season, as well, and he could certainly benefit from having a normal offseason to rest and strengthen the ankle. Some pain is to be expected in the initial post-surgery months, and it should subside over time.
Furthermore, in contrast to 2025-26, Finney-Smith should also be an active participant at training camp and preseason this fall — which would allow him to physically ramp up before the 2026-27 regular season begins in October. This season, adapting on the fly has proven difficult.
So, looking forward, it is certainly still plausible that Finney-Smith recaptures his old form. But, will it happen in time for the 2026 playoffs?
While not impossible, it seems to be becoming less likely with each passing week, particularly with the acknowledgement of lingering pain. With the calendar turning to March, the start of the Western Conference playoffs is only about six weeks away for the Rockets, who are 38-22 and at No. 3 in the West standings.
It is worth noting that in 2024-25, veteran center Steven Adams was returning from leg surgery in the previous season, and it took until March and April for his production to fully recover. That’s a timeline that Ime Udoka, head coach of the Rockets, has pointed to a few times with Finney-Smith.
But in Adams’ case, the surgery he was returning from took place in October 2023, and it took more than a calendar year before he started recapturing his previous form. For Finney-Smith, his surgery didn’t take place until June 2025, meaning that he won’t be beyond a year from his surgery date until next season.
Granted, Adams’ surgery was to his knee, and Finney-Smith’s procedure was to his ankle. It’s not exactly an apples-to-apples comparison.
But it’s not one that inspires confidence for 2025-26, either.
With only about 20 games left until the playoffs, time is starting to run short, at least for this season.
More: Dorian Finney-Smith struggling through first 15 games with Rockets
This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Report: Ankle pain lingers for Rockets veteran Dorian Finney-Smith
Continue reading...
Known for versatile defense and perimeter shooting (a career-best 41.1% last season), the veteran forward underwent ankle surgery last offseason and needed additional time to rehabilitate.
And even though Finney-Smith did return in late December, he hasn’t looked the same since. In 26 games with the Rockets, the 32-year-old is having a career-worst season in overall shooting (30.1%) and 3-point shooting (25.4%), all on just 16.7 minutes per game.
It is worth noting that the Rockets are 4.1 points better in net defensive rating when Finney-Smith plays, but that is more than offset by a 12.8-point decline in offensive rating.
As it turns out, there is a good reason for those struggles. Via Varun Shankar of the Houston Chronicle:
As part of his rehabilitation plan, Finney-Smith still isn’t cleared to play on both ends of back-to-backs. Thus, after playing Thursday versus Golden State, he is expected to sit out Friday’s home matchup versus Portland.
Finney-Smith is under contract for next season, as well, and he could certainly benefit from having a normal offseason to rest and strengthen the ankle. Some pain is to be expected in the initial post-surgery months, and it should subside over time.
Furthermore, in contrast to 2025-26, Finney-Smith should also be an active participant at training camp and preseason this fall — which would allow him to physically ramp up before the 2026-27 regular season begins in October. This season, adapting on the fly has proven difficult.
So, looking forward, it is certainly still plausible that Finney-Smith recaptures his old form. But, will it happen in time for the 2026 playoffs?
While not impossible, it seems to be becoming less likely with each passing week, particularly with the acknowledgement of lingering pain. With the calendar turning to March, the start of the Western Conference playoffs is only about six weeks away for the Rockets, who are 38-22 and at No. 3 in the West standings.
It is worth noting that in 2024-25, veteran center Steven Adams was returning from leg surgery in the previous season, and it took until March and April for his production to fully recover. That’s a timeline that Ime Udoka, head coach of the Rockets, has pointed to a few times with Finney-Smith.
But in Adams’ case, the surgery he was returning from took place in October 2023, and it took more than a calendar year before he started recapturing his previous form. For Finney-Smith, his surgery didn’t take place until June 2025, meaning that he won’t be beyond a year from his surgery date until next season.
Granted, Adams’ surgery was to his knee, and Finney-Smith’s procedure was to his ankle. It’s not exactly an apples-to-apples comparison.
But it’s not one that inspires confidence for 2025-26, either.
With only about 20 games left until the playoffs, time is starting to run short, at least for this season.
More: Dorian Finney-Smith struggling through first 15 games with Rockets
This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Report: Ankle pain lingers for Rockets veteran Dorian Finney-Smith
Continue reading...
