There are few certainties in life.
Death. Taxes. And Dorian Finney-Smith corner threes.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Death, taxes&hellip;and a Dorian Finney-Smith corner three. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mavs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mavs</a> <a href="https://t.co/meTTIRgc18">pic.twitter.com/meTTIRgc18</a>
&mdash; Dorothy J. Gentry (@DorothyJGentry) <a href="https://twitter.com/DorothyJGentry/status/1501718770460602369?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

When Finney-Smith entered the league six years ago, the Dallas Mavericks wing was told that the corner three is the easiest shot in the NBA and that he&rsquo;d &ldquo;make a lot of money" if he could knock it down consistently. &nbsp; &ldquo;I was already playing into the corner my rookie year, and once I realized how many corner threes I was going to get, I just worked on it,&rdquo; Finney-Smith told BasketballNews.com in a one-on-one conversation. &nbsp; He laughs, as if he's just now realizing that it has become his trademark shot. Then, he shouts out the former teammate who helped his corner three become so deadly.
&ldquo;Wesley Matthews was a good vet for me. He was always telling me that I needed to get that (corner three) shot down pat if I wanted to be on the court," Finney-Smith said. "And I did!"
He would spend the next few years focused, head down, determined to prove he belonged in the league. He developed into a reliable shooter and perfected the corner three, just as Matthews advised.
This season, Finney-Smith shot 46.1% on corner threes &mdash; a huge improvement from his rookie year, when he shot just 26.3% from that spot. During the 2022 NBA Playoffs, he's been even better, knocking down 52.5% of his corner threes.
&ldquo;I had the confidence that I could shoot. I shot the ball well in college, it just ain&rsquo;t translated the first couple of years in the NBA,&rdquo; Finney-Smith said.
He knew there was only one way to get his shot back: stay in the gym and work.
&ldquo;Repetition builds confidence," Finney-Smith explained. "Also, I think my teammates seeing how hard I worked, it also built confidence in them. The ones who have been here with me throughout this journey &mdash; like Maxi [Kleber], Dwight [Powell], Luka [Doncic] &mdash; I think they see the work I put in and that also gives them confidence to give the ball to me in late-game situations.
&ldquo;Guys see the work you put in; they can tell if you've been in the gym or if you been BSing, and I built confidence with those guys, especially Luka, to pass me the ball in those clutch situations. They have trust in me, even when I miss it.&rdquo;
With his passion, work ethic and dedication, Finney-Smith also earned the trust of Dallas' front office. After playing his best basketball and helping the Mavs win a lot of games (in the regular season and now in the playoffs), Finney-Smith is getting the recognition he deserves. The undrafted baller from Portsmouth, Virginia, was also rewarded with the biggest payday of his career.
In early February &mdash; six years after signing a non-guaranteed contract with the Mavs &mdash; Doe-Doe (as he is affectionately called) signed a four-year contract extension worth a reported $55 million. After earning $4,000,000 this season, he'll reportedly be paid $12,402,000 next year.
He has played his way into a starting role and into the hearts of MFFL&rsquo;s, becoming one of the fan favorites. Finney-Smith has establish himself as an integral piece of the Mavs' future after averaging a career-high 11.0 points along with 4.7 rebounds, 2.2 threes, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals (while shooting 47.1% from the field and 39.5% from three-point range).
During the postseason, he has elevated his game to a higher level. In Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Phoenix Suns, Finney-Smith finished with a playoff-career-best 24 points (on 8-12 shooting from three) and 8 rebounds. He became just the third player in Dallas' franchise history to make at least 8 three-pointers in game, joining Maxi Kleber (8 threes against the Utah Jazz on April 18, 2022) and Jason Terry (9 threes against the Los Angeles Lakers on May 8, 2011 &mdash; exactly 11 years to the day).
On Tuesday night, with the Mavs down 0-3 to the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals, he helped lead Dallas to victory with 23 points, 6 rebounds, 4 threes and 2 assists while shooting 69.2% from the field and 57.1% from three.
The underrated 3-and-D specialist opened up to BasketballNews.com about this Mavs team, his happy place, his experience going undrafted, what talent he wishes he had and much more.&nbsp;
In your own words, how did the Mavs get here &mdash; to the Western Conference Finals?
Dorian Finney-Smith: "Just by staying together. Early in the year, we weren&rsquo;t shooting the ball as well as we wanted to. I feel like we just stuck with it. We didn&rsquo;t blame nobody else; we looked inward and we took accountability as a team. And shout out to the coaches: J-Kidd, he did a good job of making us hold each other accountable. All those close games that we were in the last couple of years, I feel like this year we made that step &mdash; finishing the game the right way."
After going undrafted, what allowed you to keep going mentally? And who's been in your corner?
Finney-Smith: "I have a big family. [The answer is] them. My kid&rsquo;s mom (Jasmine).
"I always felt like when I first made the team, I just wanted to get on the court. And once I got on the court, I just wanted to make sure I showed everyone I belonged. Once I started playing on the regular, I just always wanted my presence to be felt, even if I was making or missing shots."
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/dffs1_lg.png" alt="" width="430" height="374" />
Did you ever think that playing in the NBA wasn&rsquo;t going to happen for you? Did you ever get down on yourself?
Finney-Smith: "Nah. Nah. Hell nah. I never got down. I was a little mad I didn't get what I wanted on my first deal. I played a whole lot, then I started&hellip; just me being&hellip; At times, it was a little frustrating just because I&rsquo;m human."
Who are you closest to on the team?&nbsp;
Finney-Smith: "Trey Burke, Reggie [Bullock]. Actually, we all pretty much hang out together. We are a close-knit team; even Luka comes and kicks it with us. This is probably the closest Mavs team I've been on. When I first got here, I had an older team: Devin Harris, JJ [Barea], Dirk [Nowitzki]."
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Finney-Smith: "Quiet. Or with the kids playing around. When I am not on the court, I am quiet."
What living person do you admire most?
Finney-Smith: "My mom because of her resiliency, and how she never let what she was going through show."
What talent would you most like to have?
Finney-Smith: "I wish I could sing. If I could sing, I probably&hellip; woo&hellip; I would sing all the time. I would sing myself out of trouble. (laughs)"
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?&nbsp;
Finney-Smith: "I don&rsquo;t know. God gave me everything I got for a reason, so nothing."
What drives you? What&rsquo;s your motivation?
Finney-Smith: "I would say fear of failure. Coming from where I came from, a small city, I always grew up around a whole bunch of 'I used to be' or 'what I could have done' stuff like that, so I am just trying to make the most of my opportunity because I know a lot of people may never get this opportunity or the chance to even get this opportunity."
Who is your favorite WNBA team and player?
Finney-Smith: "The (Dallas) Wings. Elizabeth Williams (of the Washington Mystics) is my favorite player. She is from Virgina; we both came out together in high school. She&rsquo;s a Virginia girl."
Who or what is the greatest love(s) of your life?
Finney-Smith: "My kids or my mom."
If you died and could come back as anything or anyone, what would it be and why?
Finney-Smith: "A lion. 'Lion King' is my favorite movie, and I love lions."
If you enjoyed this piece, be sure to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/reggie-bullock" target="_blank" rel="noopener">check out Dorothy Gentry's exclusive interview with Dallas Mavericks wing Reggie Bullock</a> as well.

There are few certainties in life.
Death. Taxes. And Dorian Finney-Smith corner threes.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Death, taxes&hellip;and a Dorian Finney-Smith corner three. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mavs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mavs</a> <a href="https://t.co/meTTIRgc18">pic.twitter.com/meTTIRgc18</a>
&mdash; Dorothy J. Gentry (@DorothyJGentry) <a href="https://twitter.com/DorothyJGentry/status/1501718770460602369?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

When Finney-Smith entered the league six years ago, the Dallas Mavericks wing was told that the corner three is the easiest shot in the NBA and that he&rsquo;d &ldquo;make a lot of money" if he could knock it down consistently. &nbsp; &ldquo;I was already playing into the corner my rookie year, and once I realized how many corner threes I was going to get, I just worked on it,&rdquo; Finney-Smith told BasketballNews.com in a one-on-one conversation. &nbsp; He laughs, as if he's just now realizing that it has become his trademark shot. Then, he shouts out the former teammate who helped his corner three become so deadly.
&ldquo;Wesley Matthews was a good vet for me. He was always telling me that I needed to get that (corner three) shot down pat if I wanted to be on the court," Finney-Smith said. "And I did!"
He would spend the next few years focused, head down, determined to prove he belonged in the league. He developed into a reliable shooter and perfected the corner three, just as Matthews advised.
This season, Finney-Smith shot 46.1% on corner threes &mdash; a huge improvement from his rookie year, when he shot just 26.3% from that spot. During the 2022 NBA Playoffs, he's been even better, knocking down 52.5% of his corner threes.
&ldquo;I had the confidence that I could shoot. I shot the ball well in college, it just ain&rsquo;t translated the first couple of years in the NBA,&rdquo; Finney-Smith said.
He knew there was only one way to get his shot back: stay in the gym and work.
&ldquo;Repetition builds confidence," Finney-Smith explained. "Also, I think my teammates seeing how hard I worked, it also built confidence in them. The ones who have been here with me throughout this journey &mdash; like Maxi [Kleber], Dwight [Powell], Luka [Doncic] &mdash; I think they see the work I put in and that also gives them confidence to give the ball to me in late-game situations.
&ldquo;Guys see the work you put in; they can tell if you've been in the gym or if you been BSing, and I built confidence with those guys, especially Luka, to pass me the ball in those clutch situations. They have trust in me, even when I miss it.&rdquo;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
With his passion, work ethic and dedication, Finney-Smith also earned the trust of Dallas' front office. After playing his best basketball and helping the Mavs win a lot of games (in the regular season and now in the playoffs), Finney-Smith is getting the recognition he deserves. The undrafted baller from Portsmouth, Virginia, was also rewarded with the biggest payday of his career.
In early February &mdash; six years after signing a non-guaranteed contract with the Mavs &mdash; Doe-Doe (as he is affectionately called) signed a four-year contract extension worth a reported $55 million. After earning $4,000,000 this season, he'll reportedly be paid $12,402,000 next year.
He has played his way into a starting role and into the hearts of MFFL&rsquo;s, becoming one of the fan favorites. Finney-Smith has establish himself as an integral piece of the Mavs' future after averaging a career-high 11.0 points along with 4.7 rebounds, 2.2 threes, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals (while shooting 47.1% from the field and 39.5% from three-point range).
During the postseason, he has elevated his game to a higher level. In Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Phoenix Suns, Finney-Smith finished with a playoff-career-best 24 points (on 8-12 shooting from three) and 8 rebounds. He became just the third player in Dallas' franchise history to make at least 8 three-pointers in game, joining Maxi Kleber (8 threes against the Utah Jazz on April 18, 2022) and Jason Terry (9 threes against the Los Angeles Lakers on May 8, 2011 &mdash; exactly 11 years to the day).
On Tuesday night, with the Mavs down 0-3 to the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals, he helped lead Dallas to victory with 23 points, 6 rebounds, 4 threes and 2 assists while shooting 69.2% from the field and 57.1% from three.
The underrated 3-and-D specialist opened up to BasketballNews.com about this Mavs team, his happy place, his experience going undrafted, what talent he wishes he had and much more.&nbsp;
In your own words, how did the Mavs get here &mdash; to the Western Conference Finals?
Dorian Finney-Smith: "Just by staying together. Early in the year, we weren&rsquo;t shooting the ball as well as we wanted to. I feel like we just stuck with it. We didn&rsquo;t blame nobody else; we looked inward and we took accountability as a team. And shout out to the coaches: J-Kidd, he did a good job of making us hold each other accountable. All those close games that we were in the last couple of years, I feel like this year we made that step &mdash; finishing the game the right way."
After going undrafted, what allowed you to keep going mentally? And who's been in your corner?
Finney-Smith: "I have a big family. [The answer is] them. My kid&rsquo;s mom (Jasmine).
"I always felt like when I first made the team, I just wanted to get on the court. And once I got on the court, I just wanted to make sure I showed everyone I belonged. Once I started playing on the regular, I just always wanted my presence to be felt, even if I was making or missing shots."
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/dffs1_lg.png" alt="" width="430" height="374" />
Did you ever think that playing in the NBA wasn&rsquo;t going to happen for you? Did you ever get down on yourself?
Finney-Smith: "Nah. Nah. Hell nah. I never got down. I was a little mad I didn't get what I wanted on my first deal. I played a whole lot, then I started&hellip; just me being&hellip; At times, it was a little frustrating just because I&rsquo;m human."
Who are you closest to on the team?&nbsp;
Finney-Smith: "Trey Burke, Reggie [Bullock]. Actually, we all pretty much hang out together. We are a close-knit team; even Luka comes and kicks it with us. This is probably the closest Mavs team I've been on. When I first got here, I had an older team: Devin Harris, JJ [Barea], Dirk [Nowitzki]."
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Finney-Smith: "Quiet. Or with the kids playing around. When I am not on the court, I am quiet."
What living person do you admire most?
Finney-Smith: "My mom because of her resiliency, and how she never let what she was going through show."
What talent would you most like to have?
Finney-Smith: "I wish I could sing. If I could sing, I probably&hellip; woo&hellip; I would sing all the time. I would sing myself out of trouble. (laughs)"
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?&nbsp;
Finney-Smith: "I don&rsquo;t know. God gave me everything I got for a reason, so nothing."
What drives you? What&rsquo;s your motivation?
Finney-Smith: "I would say fear of failure. Coming from where I came from, a small city, I always grew up around a whole bunch of 'I used to be' or 'what I could have done' stuff like that, so I am just trying to make the most of my opportunity because I know a lot of people may never get this opportunity or the chance to even get this opportunity."
Who is your favorite WNBA team and player?
Finney-Smith: "The (Dallas) Wings. Elizabeth Williams (of the Washington Mystics) is my favorite player. She is from Virgina; we both came out together in high school. She&rsquo;s a Virginia girl."
Who or what is the greatest love(s) of your life?
Finney-Smith: "My kids or my mom."
If you died and could come back as anything or anyone, what would it be and why?
Finney-Smith: "A lion. 'Lion King' is my favorite movie, and I love lions."
If you enjoyed this piece, be sure to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/reggie-bullock" target="_blank" rel="noopener">check out Dorothy Gentry's exclusive interview with Dallas Mavericks wing Reggie Bullock</a> as well.

There are few certainties in life.
Death. Taxes. And Dorian Finney-Smith corner threes.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Death, taxes&hellip;and a Dorian Finney-Smith corner three. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mavs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mavs</a> <a href="https://t.co/meTTIRgc18">pic.twitter.com/meTTIRgc18</a>
&mdash; Dorothy J. Gentry (@DorothyJGentry) <a href="https://twitter.com/DorothyJGentry/status/1501718770460602369?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

When Finney-Smith entered the league six years ago, the Dallas Mavericks wing was told that the corner three is the easiest shot in the NBA and that he&rsquo;d &ldquo;make a lot of money" if he could knock it down consistently. &nbsp; &ldquo;I was already playing into the corner my rookie year, and once I realized how many corner threes I was going to get, I just worked on it,&rdquo; Finney-Smith told BasketballNews.com in a one-on-one conversation. &nbsp; He laughs, as if he's just now realizing that it has become his trademark shot. Then, he shouts out the former teammate who helped his corner three become so deadly.
&ldquo;Wesley Matthews was a good vet for me. He was always telling me that I needed to get that (corner three) shot down pat if I wanted to be on the court," Finney-Smith said. "And I did!"
He would spend the next few years focused, head down, determined to prove he belonged in the league. He developed into a reliable shooter and perfected the corner three, just as Matthews advised.
This season, Finney-Smith shot 46.1% on corner threes &mdash; a huge improvement from his rookie year, when he shot just 26.3% from that spot. During the 2022 NBA Playoffs, he's been even better, knocking down 52.5% of his corner threes.
&ldquo;I had the confidence that I could shoot. I shot the ball well in college, it just ain&rsquo;t translated the first couple of years in the NBA,&rdquo; Finney-Smith said.
He knew there was only one way to get his shot back: stay in the gym and work.
&ldquo;Repetition builds confidence," Finney-Smith explained. "Also, I think my teammates seeing how hard I worked, it also built confidence in them. The ones who have been here with me throughout this journey &mdash; like Maxi [Kleber], Dwight [Powell], Luka [Doncic] &mdash; I think they see the work I put in and that also gives them confidence to give the ball to me in late-game situations.
&ldquo;Guys see the work you put in; they can tell if you've been in the gym or if you been BSing, and I built confidence with those guys, especially Luka, to pass me the ball in those clutch situations. They have trust in me, even when I miss it.&rdquo;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Finney-Smith also earned the trust of Dallas' front office. After playing his best basketball and helping the Mavs win a lot of games (in the regular season and now in the playoffs), Finney-Smith is getting the recognition he deserves. The undrafted baller from Portsmouth, Virginia, was also rewarded with the biggest payday of his career.
In early February &mdash; six years after signing a non-guaranteed contract with the Mavs &mdash; Doe-Doe (as he is affectionately called) signed a four-year contract extension worth a reported $55 million. After earning $4,000,000 this season, he'll reportedly be paid $12,402,000 next year.
He has played his way into a starting role and into the hearts of MFFL&rsquo;s, becoming one of the fan favorites. Finney-Smith has establish himself as an integral piece of the Mavs' future after averaging a career-high 11.0 points along with 4.7 rebounds, 2.2 threes, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals (while shooting 47.1% from the field and 39.5% from three-point range).
During the postseason, he has elevated his game to a higher level. In Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Phoenix Suns, Finney-Smith finished with a playoff-career-best 24 points (on 8-12 shooting from three) and 8 rebounds. He became just the third player in Dallas' franchise history to make at least 8 three-pointers in game, joining Maxi Kleber (8 threes against the Utah Jazz on April 18, 2022) and Jason Terry (9 threes against the Los Angeles Lakers on May 8, 2011 &mdash; exactly 11 years to the day).
On Tuesday night, with the Mavs down 0-3 to the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals, he helped lead Dallas to victory with 23 points, 6 rebounds, 4 threes and 2 assists while shooting 69.2% from the field and 57.1% from three.
The underrated 3-and-D specialist opened up to BasketballNews.com about this Mavs team, his happy place, his experience going undrafted, what talent he wishes he had and much more.&nbsp;
In your own words, how did the Mavs get here &mdash; to the Western Conference Finals?
Dorian Finney-Smith: "Just by staying together. Early in the year, we weren&rsquo;t shooting the ball as well as we wanted to. I feel like we just stuck with it. We didn&rsquo;t blame nobody else; we looked inward and we took accountability as a team. And shout out to the coaches: J-Kidd, he did a good job of making us hold each other accountable. All those close games that we were in the last couple of years, I feel like this year we made that step &mdash; finishing the game the right way."
After going undrafted, what allowed you to keep going mentally? And who's been in your corner?
Finney-Smith: "I have a big family. [The answer is] them. My kid&rsquo;s mom (Jasmine).
"I always felt like when I first made the team, I just wanted to get on the court. And once I got on the court, I just wanted to make sure I showed everyone I belonged. Once I started playing on the regular, I just always wanted my presence to be felt, even if I was making or missing shots."
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/dffs1_lg.png" alt="" width="430" height="374" />
Did you ever think that playing in the NBA wasn&rsquo;t going to happen for you? Did you ever get down on yourself?
Finney-Smith: "Nah. Nah. Hell nah. I never got down. I was a little mad I didn't get what I wanted on my first deal. I played a whole lot, then I started&hellip; just me being&hellip; At times, it was a little frustrating just because I&rsquo;m human."
Who are you closest to on the team?&nbsp;
Finney-Smith: "Trey Burke, Reggie [Bullock]. Actually, we all pretty much hang out together. We are a close-knit team; even Luka comes and kicks it with us. This is probably the closest Mavs team I've been on. When I first got here, I had an older team: Devin Harris, JJ [Barea], Dirk [Nowitzki]."
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Finney-Smith: "Quiet. Or with the kids playing around. When I am not on the court, I am quiet."
What living person do you admire most?
Finney-Smith: "My mom because of her resiliency, and how she never let what she was going through show."
What talent would you most like to have?
Finney-Smith: "I wish I could sing. If I could sing, I probably&hellip; woo&hellip; I would sing all the time. I would sing myself out of trouble. (laughs)"
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?&nbsp;
Finney-Smith: "I don&rsquo;t know. God gave me everything I got for a reason, so nothing."
What drives you? What&rsquo;s your motivation?
Finney-Smith: "I would say fear of failure. Coming from where I came from, a small city, I always grew up around a whole bunch of 'I used to be' or 'what I could have done' stuff like that, so I am just trying to make the most of my opportunity because I know a lot of people may never get this opportunity or the chance to even get this opportunity."
Who is your favorite WNBA team and player?
Finney-Smith: "The (Dallas) Wings. Elizabeth Williams (of the Washington Mystics) is my favorite player. She is from Virgina; we both came out together in high school. She&rsquo;s a Virginia girl."
Who or what is the greatest love(s) of your life?
Finney-Smith: "My kids or my mom."
If you died and could come back as anything or anyone, what would it be and why?
Finney-Smith: "A lion. 'Lion King' is my favorite movie, and I love lions."
If you enjoyed this piece, be sure to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/reggie-bullock" target="_blank" rel="noopener">check out Dorothy Gentry's exclusive interview with Dallas Mavericks wing Reggie Bullock</a> as well.

There are few certainties in life.
Death. Taxes. And Dorian Finney-Smith corner threes.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Death, taxes&hellip;and a Dorian Finney-Smith corner three. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mavs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mavs</a> <a href="https://t.co/meTTIRgc18">pic.twitter.com/meTTIRgc18</a>
&mdash; Dorothy J. Gentry (@DorothyJGentry) <a href="https://twitter.com/DorothyJGentry/status/1501718770460602369?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

When Finney-Smith entered the league six years ago, the Dallas Mavericks wing was told that the corner three is the easiest shot in the NBA and that he&rsquo;d &ldquo;make a lot of money" if he could knock it down consistently. &nbsp; &ldquo;I was already playing into the corner my rookie year, and once I realized how many corner threes I was going to get, I just worked on it,&rdquo; Finney-Smith told BasketballNews.com in a one-on-one conversation. &nbsp; He laughs, as if he's just now realizing that it has become his trademark shot. Then, he shouts out the former teammate who helped his corner three become so deadly.
&ldquo;Wesley Matthews was a good vet for me. He was always telling me that I needed to get that (corner three) shot down pat if I wanted to be on the court," Finney-Smith said. "And I did!"
He would spend the next few years focused, head down, determined to prove he belonged in the league. He developed into a reliable shooter and perfected the corner three, just as Matthews advised.
This season, Finney-Smith shot 46.1% on corner threes &mdash; a huge improvement from his rookie year, when he shot just 26.3% from that spot. During the 2022 NBA Playoffs, he's been even better, knocking down 52.5% of his corner threes.
&ldquo;I had the confidence that I could shoot. I shot the ball well in college, it just ain&rsquo;t translated the first couple of years in the NBA,&rdquo; Finney-Smith said.
He knew there was only one way to get his shot back: stay in the gym and work.
&ldquo;Repetition builds confidence," Finney-Smith explained. "Also, I think my teammates seeing how hard I worked, it also built confidence in them. The ones who have been here with me throughout this journey &mdash; like Maxi [Kleber], Dwight [Powell], Luka [Doncic] &mdash; I think they see the work I put in and that also gives them confidence to give the ball to me in late-game situations.
&ldquo;Guys see the work you put in; they can tell if you've been in the gym or if you been BSing, and I built confidence with those guys, especially Luka, to pass me the ball in those clutch situations. They have trust in me, even when I miss it.&rdquo;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Finney-Smith also earned the trust of Dallas' front office. After playing his best basketball and helping the Mavs win a lot of games (in the regular season and now in the playoffs), Finney-Smith is getting the recognition he deserves. The undrafted baller from Portsmouth, Virginia, was also rewarded with the biggest payday of his career.
In early February &mdash; six years after signing a non-guaranteed contract with the Mavs &mdash; Doe-Doe (as he is affectionately called) signed a four-year contract extension worth a reported $55 million. After earning $4,000,000 this season, he'll reportedly be paid $12,402,000 next year.
He has played his way into a starting role and into the hearts of MFFL&rsquo;s, becoming one of the fan favorites. Finney-Smith has establish himself as an integral piece of the Mavs' future after averaging a career-high 11.0 points along with 4.7 rebounds, 2.2 threes, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals (while shooting 47.1% from the field and 39.5% from three-point range).
During the postseason, he has elevated his game to a higher level. In Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Phoenix Suns, Finney-Smith finished with a playoff-career-best 24 points (on 8-12 shooting from three) and 8 rebounds. He became just the third player in Dallas' franchise history to make at least 8 three-pointers in game, joining Maxi Kleber (8 threes against the Utah Jazz on April 18, 2022) and Jason Terry (9 threes against the Los Angeles Lakers on May 8, 2011 &mdash; exactly 11 years to the day).
On Tuesday night, with the Mavs down 0-3 to the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals, he helped lead Dallas to victory with 23 points, 6 rebounds, 4 threes and 2 assists while shooting 69.2% from the field and 57.1% from three.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
The underrated 3-and-D specialist opened up to BasketballNews.com about this Mavs team, his happy place, his experience going undrafted, what talent he wishes he had and much more.&nbsp;
In your own words, how did the Mavs get here &mdash; to the Western Conference Finals?
Dorian Finney-Smith: "Just by staying together. Early in the year, we weren&rsquo;t shooting the ball as well as we wanted to. I feel like we just stuck with it. We didn&rsquo;t blame nobody else; we looked inward and we took accountability as a team. And shout out to the coaches: J-Kidd, he did a good job of making us hold each other accountable. All those close games that we were in the last couple of years, I feel like this year we made that step &mdash; finishing the game the right way."
After going undrafted, what allowed you to keep going mentally? And who's been in your corner?
Finney-Smith: "I have a big family. [The answer is] them. My kid&rsquo;s mom (Jasmine).
"I always felt like when I first made the team, I just wanted to get on the court. And once I got on the court, I just wanted to make sure I showed everyone I belonged. Once I started playing on the regular, I just always wanted my presence to be felt, even if I was making or missing shots."
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/dffs1_lg.png" alt="" width="430" height="374" />
Did you ever think that playing in the NBA wasn&rsquo;t going to happen for you? Did you ever get down on yourself?
Finney-Smith: "Nah. Nah. Hell nah. I never got down. I was a little mad I didn't get what I wanted on my first deal. I played a whole lot, then I started&hellip; just me being&hellip; At times, it was a little frustrating just because I&rsquo;m human."
Who are you closest to on the team?&nbsp;
Finney-Smith: "Trey Burke, Reggie [Bullock]. Actually, we all pretty much hang out together. We are a close-knit team; even Luka comes and kicks it with us. This is probably the closest Mavs team I've been on. When I first got here, I had an older team: Devin Harris, JJ [Barea], Dirk [Nowitzki]."
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Finney-Smith: "Quiet. Or with the kids playing around. When I am not on the court, I am quiet."
What living person do you admire most?
Finney-Smith: "My mom because of her resiliency, and how she never let what she was going through show."
What talent would you most like to have?
Finney-Smith: "I wish I could sing. If I could sing, I probably&hellip; woo&hellip; I would sing all the time. I would sing myself out of trouble. (laughs)"
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?&nbsp;
Finney-Smith: "I don&rsquo;t know. God gave me everything I got for a reason, so nothing."
What drives you? What&rsquo;s your motivation?
Finney-Smith: "I would say fear of failure. Coming from where I came from, a small city, I always grew up around a whole bunch of 'I used to be' or 'what I could have done' stuff like that, so I am just trying to make the most of my opportunity because I know a lot of people may never get this opportunity or the chance to even get this opportunity."
Who is your favorite WNBA team and player?
Finney-Smith: "The (Dallas) Wings. Elizabeth Williams (of the Washington Mystics) is my favorite player. She is from Virgina; we both came out together in high school. She&rsquo;s a Virginia girl."
Who or what is the greatest love(s) of your life?
Finney-Smith: "My kids or my mom."
If you died and could come back as anything or anyone, what would it be and why?
Finney-Smith: "A lion. 'Lion King' is my favorite movie, and I love lions."
If you enjoyed this piece, be sure to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/reggie-bullock" target="_blank" rel="noopener">check out Dorothy Gentry's exclusive interview with Dallas Mavericks wing Reggie Bullock</a> as well.

There are few certainties in life.
Death. Taxes. And Dorian Finney-Smith corner threes.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Death, taxes&hellip;and a Dorian Finney-Smith corner three. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mavs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mavs</a> <a href="https://t.co/meTTIRgc18">pic.twitter.com/meTTIRgc18</a>
&mdash; Dorothy J. Gentry (@DorothyJGentry) <a href="https://twitter.com/DorothyJGentry/status/1501718770460602369?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

When Finney-Smith entered the league six years ago, the Dallas Mavericks wing was told that the corner three is the easiest shot in the NBA and that he&rsquo;d &ldquo;make a lot of money" if he could knock it down consistently. &nbsp; &ldquo;I was already playing into the corner my rookie year, and once I realized how many corner threes I was going to get, I just worked on it,&rdquo; Finney-Smith told BasketballNews.com in a one-on-one conversation. &nbsp; He laughs, as if he's just now realizing that it has become his trademark shot. Then, he shouts out the former teammate who helped his corner three become so deadly.
&ldquo;Wesley Matthews was a good vet for me. He was always telling me that I needed to get that (corner three) shot down pat if I wanted to be on the court," Finney-Smith said. "And I did!"
He would spend the next few years focused, head down, determined to prove he belonged in the league. He developed into a reliable shooter and perfected the corner three, just as Matthews advised.
This season, Finney-Smith shot 46.1% on corner threes &mdash; a huge improvement from his rookie year, when he shot just 26.3% from that spot. During the 2022 NBA Playoffs, he's been even better, knocking down 52.5% of his corner threes.
&ldquo;I had the confidence that I could shoot. I shot the ball well in college, it just ain&rsquo;t translated the first couple of years in the NBA,&rdquo; Finney-Smith said.
He knew there was only one way to get his shot back: stay in the gym and work.
&ldquo;Repetition builds confidence," Finney-Smith explained. "Also, I think my teammates seeing how hard I worked, it also built confidence in them. The ones who have been here with me throughout this journey &mdash; like Maxi [Kleber], Dwight [Powell], Luka [Doncic] &mdash; I think they see the work I put in and that also gives them confidence to give the ball to me in late-game situations.
&ldquo;Guys see the work you put in; they can tell if you've been in the gym or if you been BSing, and I built confidence with those guys, especially Luka, to pass me the ball in those clutch situations. They have trust in me, even when I miss it.&rdquo;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Finney-Smith also earned the trust of Dallas' front office. After playing his best basketball and helping the Mavs win a lot of games (in the regular season and now in the playoffs), Finney-Smith is getting the recognition he deserves. The undrafted baller from Portsmouth, Virginia, was also rewarded with the biggest payday of his career.
In early February &mdash; six years after signing a non-guaranteed contract with the Mavs &mdash; Doe-Doe (as he is affectionately called) signed a four-year contract extension worth a reported $55 million. After earning $4,000,000 this season, he'll reportedly be paid $12,402,000 next year.
He has played his way into a starting role and into the hearts of MFFL&rsquo;s, becoming one of the fan favorites. Finney-Smith has establish himself as an integral piece of the Mavs' future after averaging a career-high 11.0 points along with 4.7 rebounds, 2.2 threes, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals (while shooting 47.1% from the field and 39.5% from three-point range).
During the postseason, he has elevated his game to a higher level. In Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Phoenix Suns, Finney-Smith finished with a playoff-career-best 24 points (on 8-12 shooting from three) and 8 rebounds. He became just the third player in Dallas' franchise history to make at least 8 three-pointers in game, joining Maxi Kleber (8 threes against the Utah Jazz on April 18, 2022) and Jason Terry (9 threes against the Los Angeles Lakers on May 8, 2011 &mdash; exactly 11 years to the day).
On Tuesday night, with the Mavs down 0-3 to the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals, he helped lead Dallas to victory with 23 points, 6 rebounds, 4 threes and 2 assists while shooting 69.2% from the field and 57.1% from three.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
The underrated 3-and-D specialist opened up to BasketballNews.com about this Mavs team, his happy place, his experience going undrafted, what talent he wishes he had and much more.&nbsp;
In your own words, how did the Mavs get here &mdash; to the Western Conference Finals?
Dorian Finney-Smith: "Just by staying together. Early in the year, we weren&rsquo;t shooting the ball as well as we wanted to. I feel like we just stuck with it. We didn&rsquo;t blame nobody else; we looked inward and we took accountability as a team. And shout out to the coaches: J-Kidd, he did a good job of making us hold each other accountable. All those close games that we were in the last couple of years, I feel like this year we made that step &mdash; finishing the game the right way."
After going undrafted, what allowed you to keep going mentally? And who's been in your corner?
Finney-Smith: "I have a big family. [The answer is] them. My kid&rsquo;s mom (Jasmine).
"I always felt like when I first made the team, I just wanted to get on the court. And once I got on the court, I just wanted to make sure I showed everyone I belonged. Once I started playing on the regular, I just always wanted my presence to be felt, even if I was making or missing shots."
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/dffs1_lg.png" alt="" width="430" height="374" />
Did you ever think that playing in the NBA wasn&rsquo;t going to happen for you? Did you ever get down on yourself?
Finney-Smith: "Nah. Nah. Hell nah. I never got down. I was a little mad I didn't get what I wanted on my first deal. I played a whole lot, then I started&hellip; just me being&hellip; At times, it was a little frustrating just because I&rsquo;m human."
Who are you closest to on the team?&nbsp;
Finney-Smith: "Trey Burke, Reggie [Bullock]. Actually, we all pretty much hang out together. We are a close-knit team; even Luka comes and kicks it with us. This is probably the closest Mavs team I've been on. When I first got here, I had an older team: Devin Harris, JJ [Barea], Dirk [Nowitzki]."
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Finney-Smith: "Quiet. Or with the kids playing around. When I am not on the court, I am quiet."
What living person do you admire most?
Finney-Smith: "My mom because of her resiliency, and how she never let what she was going through show."
What talent would you most like to have?
Finney-Smith: "I wish I could sing. If I could sing, I probably&hellip; woo&hellip; I would sing all the time. I would sing myself out of trouble. (laughs)"
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?&nbsp;
Finney-Smith: "I don&rsquo;t know. God gave me everything I got for a reason, so nothing."
What drives you? What&rsquo;s your motivation?
Finney-Smith: "I would say fear of failure. Coming from where I came from, a small city, I always grew up around a whole bunch of 'I used to be' or 'what I could have done' stuff like that, so I am just trying to make the most of my opportunity because I know a lot of people may never get this opportunity or the chance to even get this opportunity."
Who is your favorite WNBA team and player?
Finney-Smith: "The (Dallas) Wings. Elizabeth Williams (of the Washington Mystics) is my favorite player. She is from Virgina; we both came out together in high school. She&rsquo;s a Virginia girl."
Who or what is the greatest love(s) of your life?
Finney-Smith: "My kids or my mom."
If you died and could come back as anything or anyone, what would it be and why?
Finney-Smith: "A lion. 'Lion King' is my favorite movie, and I love lions."
If you enjoyed this piece, be sure to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/reggie-bullock" target="_blank" rel="noopener">check out Dorothy Gentry's exclusive interview with Dallas Mavericks wing Reggie Bullock</a> as well.
&nbsp;
f

There are few certainties in life.
Death. Taxes. And Dorian Finney-Smith corner threes.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Death, taxes&hellip;and a Dorian Finney-Smith corner three. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mavs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mavs</a> <a href="https://t.co/meTTIRgc18">pic.twitter.com/meTTIRgc18</a>
&mdash; Dorothy J. Gentry (@DorothyJGentry) <a href="https://twitter.com/DorothyJGentry/status/1501718770460602369?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

When Finney-Smith entered the league six years ago, the Dallas Mavericks wing was told that the corner three is the easiest shot in the NBA and that he&rsquo;d &ldquo;make a lot of money" if he could knock it down consistently. &nbsp; &ldquo;I was already playing into the corner my rookie year, and once I realized how many corner threes I was going to get, I just worked on it,&rdquo; Finney-Smith told BasketballNews.com in a one-on-one conversation. &nbsp; He laughs, as if he's just now realizing that it has become his trademark shot. Then, he shouts out the former teammate who helped his corner three become so deadly.
&ldquo;Wesley Matthews was a good vet for me. He was always telling me that I needed to get that (corner three) shot down pat if I wanted to be on the court," Finney-Smith said. "And I did!"
He would spend the next few years focused, head down, determined to prove he belonged in the league. He developed into a reliable shooter and perfected the corner three, just as Matthews advised.
This season, Finney-Smith shot 46.1% on corner threes &mdash; a huge improvement from his rookie year, when he shot just 26.3% from that spot. During the 2022 NBA Playoffs, he's been even better, knocking down 52.5% of his corner threes.
&ldquo;I had the confidence that I could shoot. I shot the ball well in college, it just ain&rsquo;t translated the first couple of years in the NBA,&rdquo; Finney-Smith said.
He knew there was only one way to get his shot back: stay in the gym and work.
&ldquo;Repetition builds confidence," Finney-Smith explained. "Also, I think my teammates seeing how hard I worked, it also built confidence in them. The ones who have been here with me throughout this journey &mdash; like Maxi [Kleber], Dwight [Powell], Luka [Doncic] &mdash; I think they see the work I put in and that also gives them confidence to give the ball to me in late-game situations.
&ldquo;Guys see the work you put in; they can tell if you've been in the gym or if you been BSing, and I built confidence with those guys, especially Luka, to pass me the ball in those clutch situations. They have trust in me, even when I miss it.&rdquo;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Finney-Smith also earned the trust of Dallas' front office. After playing his best basketball and helping the Mavs win a lot of games (in the regular season and now in the playoffs), Finney-Smith is getting the recognition he deserves. The undrafted baller from Portsmouth, Virginia, was also rewarded with the biggest payday of his career.
In early February &mdash; six years after signing a non-guaranteed contract with the Mavs &mdash; Doe-Doe (as he is affectionately called) signed a four-year contract extension worth a reported $55 million. After earning $4,000,000 this season, he'll reportedly be paid $12,402,000 next year.
He has played his way into a starting role and into the hearts of MFFL&rsquo;s, becoming one of the fan favorites. Finney-Smith has establish himself as an integral piece of the Mavs' future after averaging a career-high 11.0 points along with 4.7 rebounds, 2.2 threes, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals (while shooting 47.1% from the field and 39.5% from three-point range).
During the postseason, he has elevated his game to a higher level. In Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Phoenix Suns, Finney-Smith finished with a playoff-career-best 24 points (on 8-12 shooting from three) and 8 rebounds. He became just the third player in Dallas' franchise history to make at least 8 three-pointers in game, joining Maxi Kleber (8 threes against the Utah Jazz on April 18, 2022) and Jason Terry (9 threes against the Los Angeles Lakers on May 8, 2011 &mdash; exactly 11 years to the day).
On Tuesday night, with the Mavs down 0-3 to the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals, he helped lead Dallas to victory with 23 points, 6 rebounds, 4 threes and 2 assists while shooting 69.2% from the field and 57.1% from three.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
The underrated 3-and-D specialist opened up to BasketballNews.com about this Mavs team, his happy place, his experience going undrafted, what talent he wishes he had and much more.&nbsp;
In your own words, how did the Mavs get here &mdash; to the Western Conference Finals?
Dorian Finney-Smith: "Just by staying together. Early in the year, we weren&rsquo;t shooting the ball as well as we wanted to. I feel like we just stuck with it. We didn&rsquo;t blame nobody else; we looked inward and we took accountability as a team. And shout out to the coaches: J-Kidd, he did a good job of making us hold each other accountable. All those close games that we were in the last couple of years, I feel like this year we made that step &mdash; finishing the game the right way."
After going undrafted, what allowed you to keep going mentally? And who's been in your corner?
Finney-Smith: "I have a big family. [The answer is] them. My kid&rsquo;s mom (Jasmine).
"I always felt like when I first made the team, I just wanted to get on the court. And once I got on the court, I just wanted to make sure I showed everyone I belonged. Once I started playing on the regular, I just always wanted my presence to be felt, even if I was making or missing shots."
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/dffs1_lg.png" alt="" width="430" height="374" />
Did you ever think that playing in the NBA wasn&rsquo;t going to happen for you? Did you ever get down on yourself?
Finney-Smith: "Nah. Nah. Hell nah. I never got down. I was a little mad I didn't get what I wanted on my first deal. I played a whole lot, then I started&hellip; just me being&hellip; At times, it was a little frustrating just because I&rsquo;m human."
Who are you closest to on the team?&nbsp;
Finney-Smith: "Trey Burke, Reggie [Bullock]. Actually, we all pretty much hang out together. We are a close-knit team; even Luka comes and kicks it with us. This is probably the closest Mavs team I've been on. When I first got here, I had an older team: Devin Harris, JJ [Barea], Dirk [Nowitzki]."
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Finney-Smith: "Quiet. Or with the kids playing around. When I am not on the court, I am quiet."
What living person do you admire most?
Finney-Smith: "My mom because of her resiliency, and how she never let what she was going through show."
What talent would you most like to have?
Finney-Smith: "I wish I could sing. If I could sing, I probably&hellip; woo&hellip; I would sing all the time. I would sing myself out of trouble. (laughs)"
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?&nbsp;
Finney-Smith: "I don&rsquo;t know. God gave me everything I got for a reason, so nothing."
What drives you? What&rsquo;s your motivation?
Finney-Smith: "I would say fear of failure. Coming from where I came from, a small city, I always grew up around a whole bunch of 'I used to be' or 'what I could have done' stuff like that, so I am just trying to make the most of my opportunity because I know a lot of people may never get this opportunity or the chance to even get this opportunity."
Who is your favorite WNBA team and player?
Finney-Smith: "The (Dallas) Wings. Elizabeth Williams (of the Washington Mystics) is my favorite player. She is from Virgina; we both came out together in high school. She&rsquo;s a Virginia girl."
Who or what is the greatest love(s) of your life?
Finney-Smith: "My kids or my mom."
If you died and could come back as anything or anyone, what would it be and why?
Finney-Smith: "A lion. 'Lion King' is my favorite movie, and I love lions."
If you enjoyed this piece, be sure to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/reggie-bullock" target="_blank" rel="noopener">check out Dorothy Gentry's exclusive interview with Dallas Mavericks wing Reggie Bullock</a> as well.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
f

There are few certainties in life.
Death. Taxes. And Dorian Finney-Smith corner threes.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Death, taxes&hellip;and a Dorian Finney-Smith corner three. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mavs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mavs</a> <a href="https://t.co/meTTIRgc18">pic.twitter.com/meTTIRgc18</a>
&mdash; Dorothy J. Gentry (@DorothyJGentry) <a href="https://twitter.com/DorothyJGentry/status/1501718770460602369?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

When Finney-Smith entered the league six years ago, the Dallas Mavericks wing was told that the corner three is the easiest shot in the NBA and that he&rsquo;d &ldquo;make a lot of money" if he could knock it down consistently. &nbsp; &ldquo;I was already playing into the corner my rookie year, and once I realized how many corner threes I was going to get, I just worked on it,&rdquo; Finney-Smith told BasketballNews.com in a one-on-one conversation. &nbsp; He laughs, as if he's just now realizing that it has become his trademark shot. Then, he shouts out the former teammate who helped his corner three become so deadly.
&ldquo;Wesley Matthews was a good vet for me. He was always telling me that I needed to get that (corner three) shot down pat if I wanted to be on the court," Finney-Smith said. "And I did!"
He would spend the next few years focused, head down, determined to prove he belonged in the league. He developed into a reliable shooter and perfected the corner three, just as Matthews advised.
This season, Finney-Smith shot 46.1% on corner threes &mdash; a huge improvement from his rookie year, when he shot just 26.3% from that spot. During the 2022 NBA Playoffs, he's been even better, knocking down 52.5% of his corner threes.
&ldquo;I had the confidence that I could shoot. I shot the ball well in college, it just ain&rsquo;t translated the first couple of years in the NBA,&rdquo; Finney-Smith said.
He knew there was only one way to get his shot back: stay in the gym and work.
&ldquo;Repetition builds confidence," Finney-Smith explained. "Also, I think my teammates seeing how hard I worked, it also built confidence in them. The ones who have been here with me throughout this journey &mdash; like Maxi [Kleber], Dwight [Powell], Luka [Doncic] &mdash; I think they see the work I put in and that also gives them confidence to give the ball to me in late-game situations.
&ldquo;Guys see the work you put in; they can tell if you've been in the gym or if you been BSing, and I built confidence with those guys, especially Luka, to pass me the ball in those clutch situations. They have trust in me, even when I miss it.&rdquo;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Finney-Smith also earned the trust of Dallas' front office. After playing his best basketball and helping the Mavs win a lot of games (in the regular season and now in the playoffs), Finney-Smith is getting the recognition he deserves. The undrafted baller from Portsmouth, Virginia, was also rewarded with the biggest payday of his career.
In early February &mdash; six years after signing a non-guaranteed contract with the Mavs &mdash; Doe-Doe (as he is affectionately called) signed a four-year contract extension worth a reported $55 million. After earning $4,000,000 this season, he'll reportedly be paid $12,402,000 next year.
He has played his way into a starting role and into the hearts of MFFL&rsquo;s, becoming one of the fan favorites. Finney-Smith has establish himself as an integral piece of the Mavs' future after averaging a career-high 11.0 points along with 4.7 rebounds, 2.2 threes, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals (while shooting 47.1% from the field and 39.5% from three-point range).
During the postseason, he has elevated his game to a higher level. In Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Phoenix Suns, Finney-Smith finished with a playoff-career-best 24 points (on 8-12 shooting from three) and 8 rebounds. He became just the third player in Dallas' franchise history to make at least 8 three-pointers in game, joining Maxi Kleber (8 threes against the Utah Jazz on April 18, 2022) and Jason Terry (9 threes against the Los Angeles Lakers on May 8, 2011 &mdash; exactly 11 years to the day).
On Tuesday night, with the Mavs down 0-3 to the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals, he helped lead Dallas to victory with 23 points, 6 rebounds, 4 threes and 2 assists while shooting 69.2% from the field and 57.1% from three.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
The underrated 3-and-D specialist opened up to BasketballNews.com about this Mavs team, his happy place, his experience going undrafted, what talent he wishes he had and much more.&nbsp;
In your own words, how did the Mavs get here &mdash; to the Western Conference Finals?
Dorian Finney-Smith: "Just by staying together. Early in the year, we weren&rsquo;t shooting the ball as well as we wanted to. I feel like we just stuck with it. We didn&rsquo;t blame nobody else; we looked inward and we took accountability as a team. And shout out to the coaches: J-Kidd, he did a good job of making us hold each other accountable. All those close games that we were in the last couple of years, I feel like this year we made that step &mdash; finishing the game the right way."
After going undrafted, what allowed you to keep going mentally? And who's been in your corner?
Finney-Smith: "I have a big family. [The answer is] them. My kid&rsquo;s mom (Jasmine).
"I always felt like when I first made the team, I just wanted to get on the court. And once I got on the court, I just wanted to make sure I showed everyone I belonged. Once I started playing on the regular, I just always wanted my presence to be felt, even if I was making or missing shots."
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/dffs1_lg.png" alt="" width="430" height="374" />
Did you ever think that playing in the NBA wasn&rsquo;t going to happen for you? Did you ever get down on yourself?
Finney-Smith: "Nah. Nah. Hell nah. I never got down. I was a little mad I didn't get what I wanted on my first deal. I played a whole lot, then I started&hellip; just me being&hellip; At times, it was a little frustrating just because I&rsquo;m human."
Who are you closest to on the team?&nbsp;
Finney-Smith: "Trey Burke, Reggie [Bullock]. Actually, we all pretty much hang out together. We are a close-knit team; even Luka comes and kicks it with us. This is probably the closest Mavs team I've been on. When I first got here, I had an older team: Devin Harris, JJ [Barea], Dirk [Nowitzki]."
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Finney-Smith: "Quiet. Or with the kids playing around. When I am not on the court, I am quiet."
What living person do you admire most?
Finney-Smith: "My mom because of her resiliency, and how she never let what she was going through show."
What talent would you most like to have?
Finney-Smith: "I wish I could sing. If I could sing, I probably&hellip; woo&hellip; I would sing all the time. I would sing myself out of trouble. (laughs)"
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?&nbsp;
Finney-Smith: "I don&rsquo;t know. God gave me everything I got for a reason, so nothing."
What drives you? What&rsquo;s your motivation?
Finney-Smith: "I would say fear of failure. Coming from where I came from, a small city, I always grew up around a whole bunch of 'I used to be' or 'what I could have done' stuff like that, so I am just trying to make the most of my opportunity because I know a lot of people may never get this opportunity or the chance to even get this opportunity."
Who is your favorite WNBA team and player?
Finney-Smith: "The (Dallas) Wings. Elizabeth Williams (of the Washington Mystics) is my favorite player. She is from Virgina; we both came out together in high school. She&rsquo;s a Virginia girl."
Who or what is the greatest love(s) of your life?
Finney-Smith: "My kids or my mom."
If you died and could come back as anything or anyone, what would it be and why?
Finney-Smith: "A lion. 'Lion King' is my favorite movie, and I love lions."
If you enjoyed this piece, be sure to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/reggie-bullock" target="_blank" rel="noopener">check out Dorothy Gentry's exclusive interview with Dallas Mavericks wing Reggie Bullock</a> as well.
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Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!
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There are few certainties in life.
Death. Taxes. And Dorian Finney-Smith corner threes.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Death, taxes&hellip;and a Dorian Finney-Smith corner three. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mavs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mavs</a> <a href="https://t.co/meTTIRgc18">pic.twitter.com/meTTIRgc18</a>
&mdash; Dorothy J. Gentry (@DorothyJGentry) <a href="https://twitter.com/DorothyJGentry/status/1501718770460602369?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

When Finney-Smith entered the league six years ago, the Dallas Mavericks wing was told that the corner three is the easiest shot in the NBA and that he&rsquo;d &ldquo;make a lot of money" if he could knock it down consistently. &nbsp; &ldquo;I was already playing into the corner my rookie year, and once I realized how many corner threes I was going to get, I just worked on it,&rdquo; Finney-Smith told BasketballNews.com in a one-on-one conversation. &nbsp; He laughs, as if he's just now realizing that it has become his trademark shot. Then, he shouts out the former teammate who helped his corner three become so deadly.
&ldquo;Wesley Matthews was a good vet for me. He was always telling me that I needed to get that (corner three) shot down pat if I wanted to be on the court," Finney-Smith said. "And I did!"
He would spend the next few years focused, head down, determined to prove he belonged in the league. He developed into a reliable shooter and perfected the corner three, just as Matthews advised.
This season, Finney-Smith shot 46.1% on corner threes &mdash; a huge improvement from his rookie year, when he shot just 26.3% from that spot. During the 2022 NBA Playoffs, he's been even better, knocking down 52.5% of his corner threes.
&ldquo;I had the confidence that I could shoot. I shot the ball well in college, it just ain&rsquo;t translated the first couple of years in the NBA,&rdquo; Finney-Smith said.
He knew there was only one way to get his shot back: stay in the gym and work.
&ldquo;Repetition builds confidence," Finney-Smith explained. "Also, I think my teammates seeing how hard I worked, it also built confidence in them. The ones who have been here with me throughout this journey &mdash; like Maxi [Kleber], Dwight [Powell], Luka [Doncic] &mdash; I think they see the work I put in and that also gives them confidence to give the ball to me in late-game situations.
&ldquo;Guys see the work you put in; they can tell if you've been in the gym or if you been BSing, and I built confidence with those guys, especially Luka, to pass me the ball in those clutch situations. They have trust in me, even when I miss it.&rdquo;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Finney-Smith also earned the trust of Dallas' front office. After playing his best basketball and helping the Mavs win a lot of games (in the regular season and now in the playoffs), Finney-Smith is getting the recognition he deserves. The undrafted baller from Portsmouth, Virginia, was also rewarded with the biggest payday of his career.
In early February &mdash; six years after signing a non-guaranteed contract with the Mavs &mdash; Doe-Doe (as he is affectionately called) signed a four-year contract extension worth a reported $55 million. After earning $4,000,000 this season, he'll reportedly be paid $12,402,000 next year.
He has played his way into a starting role and into the hearts of MFFL&rsquo;s, becoming one of the fan favorites. Finney-Smith has established himself as an integral piece of the Mavs' future after averaging a career-high 11.0 points along with 4.7 rebounds, 2.2 threes, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals (while shooting 47.1% from the field and 39.5% from three-point range).
During the postseason, he has elevated his game to a higher level. In Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Phoenix Suns, Finney-Smith finished with a playoff-career-best 24 points (on 8-12 shooting from three) and 8 rebounds. He became just the third player in Dallas' franchise history to make at least 8 three-pointers in game, joining Maxi Kleber (8 threes against the Utah Jazz on April 18, 2022) and Jason Terry (9 threes against the Los Angeles Lakers on May 8, 2011 &mdash; exactly 11 years to the day).
On Tuesday night, with the Mavs down 0-3 to the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals, he helped lead Dallas to victory with 23 points, 6 rebounds, 4 threes and 2 assists while shooting 69.2% from the field and 57.1% from three.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
The underrated 3-and-D specialist opened up to BasketballNews.com about this Mavs team, his happy place, his experience going undrafted, what talent he wishes he had and much more.&nbsp;
In your own words, how did the Mavs get here &mdash; to the Western Conference Finals?
Dorian Finney-Smith: "Just by staying together. Early in the year, we weren&rsquo;t shooting the ball as well as we wanted to. I feel like we just stuck with it. We didn&rsquo;t blame nobody else; we looked inward and we took accountability as a team. And shout out to the coaches: J-Kidd, he did a good job of making us hold each other accountable. All those close games that we were in the last couple of years, I feel like this year we made that step &mdash; finishing the game the right way."
After going undrafted, what allowed you to keep going mentally? And who's been in your corner?
Finney-Smith: "I have a big family. [The answer is] them. My kid&rsquo;s mom (Jasmine).
"I always felt like when I first made the team, I just wanted to get on the court. And once I got on the court, I just wanted to make sure I showed everyone I belonged. Once I started playing on the regular, I just always wanted my presence to be felt, even if I was making or missing shots."
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/dffs1_lg.png" alt="" width="430" height="374" />
Did you ever think that playing in the NBA wasn&rsquo;t going to happen for you? Did you ever get down on yourself?
Finney-Smith: "Nah. Nah. Hell nah. I never got down. I was a little mad I didn't get what I wanted on my first deal. I played a whole lot, then I started&hellip; just me being&hellip; At times, it was a little frustrating just because I&rsquo;m human."
Who are you closest to on the team?&nbsp;
Finney-Smith: "Trey Burke, Reggie [Bullock]. Actually, we all pretty much hang out together. We are a close-knit team; even Luka comes and kicks it with us. This is probably the closest Mavs team I've been on. When I first got here, I had an older team: Devin Harris, JJ [Barea], Dirk [Nowitzki]."
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Finney-Smith: "Quiet. Or with the kids playing around. When I am not on the court, I am quiet."
What living person do you admire most?
Finney-Smith: "My mom because of her resiliency, and how she never let what she was going through show."
What talent would you most like to have?
Finney-Smith: "I wish I could sing. If I could sing, I probably&hellip; woo&hellip; I would sing all the time. I would sing myself out of trouble. (laughs)"
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?&nbsp;
Finney-Smith: "I don&rsquo;t know. God gave me everything I got for a reason, so nothing."
What drives you? What&rsquo;s your motivation?
Finney-Smith: "I would say fear of failure. Coming from where I came from, a small city, I always grew up around a whole bunch of 'I used to be' or 'what I could have done' stuff like that, so I am just trying to make the most of my opportunity because I know a lot of people may never get this opportunity or the chance to even get this opportunity."
Who is your favorite WNBA team and player?
Finney-Smith: "The (Dallas) Wings. Elizabeth Williams (of the Washington Mystics) is my favorite player. She is from Virgina; we both came out together in high school. She&rsquo;s a Virginia girl."
Who or what is the greatest love(s) of your life?
Finney-Smith: "My kids or my mom."
If you died and could come back as anything or anyone, what would it be and why?
Finney-Smith: "A lion. 'Lion King' is my favorite movie, and I love lions."
If you enjoyed this piece, be sure to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/reggie-bullock" target="_blank" rel="noopener">check out Dorothy Gentry's exclusive interview with Dallas Mavericks wing Reggie Bullock</a> as well.
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Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!
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There are few certainties in life.
Death. Taxes. And Dorian Finney-Smith corner threes.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Death, taxes&hellip;and a Dorian Finney-Smith corner three. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mavs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mavs</a> <a href="https://t.co/meTTIRgc18">pic.twitter.com/meTTIRgc18</a>
&mdash; Dorothy J. Gentry (@DorothyJGentry) <a href="https://twitter.com/DorothyJGentry/status/1501718770460602369?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

When Finney-Smith entered the league six years ago, the Dallas Mavericks wing was told that the corner three is the easiest shot in the NBA and that he&rsquo;d &ldquo;make a lot of money" if he could knock it down consistently. &nbsp; &ldquo;I was already playing into the corner my rookie year, and once I realized how many corner threes I was going to get, I just worked on it,&rdquo; Finney-Smith told BasketballNews.com in a one-on-one conversation. &nbsp; He laughs, as if he's just now realizing that it has become his trademark shot. Then, he shouts out the former teammate who helped his corner three become so deadly.
&ldquo;Wesley Matthews was a good vet for me. He was always telling me that I needed to get that (corner three) shot down pat if I wanted to be on the court," Finney-Smith said. "And I did!"
He would spend the next few years focused, head down, determined to prove he belonged in the league. He developed into a reliable shooter and perfected the corner three, just as Matthews advised.
This season, Finney-Smith shot 46.1% on corner threes &mdash; a huge improvement from his rookie year, when he shot just 26.3% from that spot. During the 2022 NBA Playoffs, he's been even better, knocking down 52.5% of his corner threes.
&ldquo;I had the confidence that I could shoot. I shot the ball well in college, it just ain&rsquo;t translated the first couple of years in the NBA,&rdquo; Finney-Smith said.
He knew there was only one way to get his shot back: stay in the gym and work.
&ldquo;Repetition builds confidence," Finney-Smith explained. "Also, I think my teammates seeing how hard I worked, it also built confidence in them. The ones who have been here with me throughout this journey &mdash; like Maxi [Kleber], Dwight [Powell], Luka [Doncic] &mdash; I think they see the work I put in and that also gives them confidence to give the ball to me in late-game situations.
&ldquo;Guys see the work you put in; they can tell if you've been in the gym or if you been BSing, and I built confidence with those guys, especially Luka, to pass me the ball in those clutch situations. They have trust in me, even when I miss it.&rdquo;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Finney-Smith also earned the trust of Dallas' front office. After playing his best basketball and helping the Mavs win a lot of games (in the regular season and now in the playoffs), Finney-Smith is getting the recognition he deserves. The undrafted baller from Portsmouth, Virginia, was also rewarded with the biggest payday of his career.
In early February &mdash; six years after signing a non-guaranteed contract with the Mavs &mdash; Doe-Doe (as he is affectionately called) signed a four-year contract extension worth a reported $55 million. After earning $4,000,000 this season, he'll reportedly be paid $12,402,000 next year.
He has played his way into a starting role and into the hearts of MFFL&rsquo;s, becoming one of the fan favorites. Finney-Smith has established himself as an integral piece of the Mavs' future after averaging a career-high 11.0 points along with 4.7 rebounds, 2.2 threes, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals (while shooting 47.1% from the field and 39.5% from three-point range).
During the postseason, he has elevated his game to a higher level. In Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Phoenix Suns, Finney-Smith finished with a playoff-career-best 24 points (on 8-12 shooting from three) and 8 rebounds. He became just the third player in Dallas' franchise history to make at least 8 three-pointers in game, joining Maxi Kleber (8 threes against the Utah Jazz on April 18, 2022) and Jason Terry (9 threes against the Los Angeles Lakers on May 8, 2011 &mdash; exactly 11 years to the day).
On Tuesday night, with the Mavs down 0-3 to the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals, he helped lead Dallas to victory with 23 points, 6 rebounds, 4 threes and 2 assists while shooting 69.2% from the field and 57.1% from three.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
The underrated 3-and-D specialist opened up to BasketballNews.com about this Mavs team, his happy place, his experience going undrafted, what talent he wishes he had and much more.&nbsp;
In your own words, how did the Mavs get here &mdash; to the Western Conference Finals?
Dorian Finney-Smith: "Just by staying together. Early in the year, we weren&rsquo;t shooting the ball as well as we wanted to. I feel like we just stuck with it. We didn&rsquo;t blame nobody else; we looked inward and we took accountability as a team. And shout out to the coaches: J-Kidd, he did a good job of making us hold each other accountable. All those close games that we were in the last couple of years, I feel like this year we made that step &mdash; finishing the game the right way."
After going undrafted, what allowed you to keep going mentally? And who's been in your corner?
Finney-Smith: "I have a big family. [The answer is] them. My kid&rsquo;s mom (Jasmine).
"I always felt like when I first made the team, I just wanted to get on the court. And once I got on the court, I just wanted to make sure I showed everyone I belonged. Once I started playing on the regular, I just always wanted my presence to be felt, even if I was making or missing shots."
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/dffs1_lg.png" alt="" width="430" height="374" />
Did you ever think that playing in the NBA wasn&rsquo;t going to happen for you? Did you ever get down on yourself?
Finney-Smith: "Nah. Nah. Hell nah. I never got down. I was a little mad I didn't get what I wanted on my first deal. I played a whole lot, then I started&hellip; just me being&hellip; At times, it was a little frustrating just because I&rsquo;m human."
Who are you closest to on the team?&nbsp;
Finney-Smith: "Trey Burke, Reggie [Bullock]. Actually, we all pretty much hang out together. We are a close-knit team; even Luka comes and kicks it with us. This is probably the closest Mavs team I've been on. When I first got here, I had an older team: Devin Harris, JJ [Barea], Dirk [Nowitzki]."
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Finney-Smith: "Quiet. Or with the kids playing around. When I am not on the court, I am quiet."
What living person do you admire most?
Finney-Smith: "My mom because of her resiliency, and how she never let what she was going through show."
What talent would you most like to have?
Finney-Smith: "I wish I could sing. If I could sing, I probably&hellip; woo&hellip; I would sing all the time. I would sing myself out of trouble. (laughs)"
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?&nbsp;
Finney-Smith: "I don&rsquo;t know. God gave me everything I got for a reason, so nothing."
What drives you? What&rsquo;s your motivation?
Finney-Smith: "I would say fear of failure. Coming from where I came from, a small city, I always grew up around a whole bunch of 'I used to be' or 'what I could have done' stuff like that, so I am just trying to make the most of my opportunity because I know a lot of people may never get this opportunity or the chance to even get this opportunity."
Who is your favorite WNBA team and player?
Finney-Smith: "The (Dallas) Wings. Elizabeth Williams (of the Washington Mystics) is my favorite player. She is from Virgina; we both came out together in high school. She&rsquo;s a Virginia girl."
Who or what is the greatest love(s) of your life?
Finney-Smith: "My kids or my mom."
If you died and could come back as anything or anyone, what would it be and why?
Finney-Smith: "A lion. 'Lion King' is my favorite movie, and I love lions."
If you enjoyed this piece, be sure to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/reggie-bullock" target="_blank" rel="noopener">check out Dorothy J. Gentry's exclusive interview with Dallas Mavericks wing Reggie Bullock</a> as well.
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<div class="css-1dbjc4n r-eqz5dr r-glunga r-13qz1uu">
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Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>

There are few certainties in life.
Death. Taxes. And Dorian Finney-Smith corner threes.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Death, taxes&hellip;and a Dorian Finney-Smith corner three. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mavs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mavs</a> <a href="https://t.co/meTTIRgc18">pic.twitter.com/meTTIRgc18</a>
&mdash; Dorothy J. Gentry (@DorothyJGentry) <a href="https://twitter.com/DorothyJGentry/status/1501718770460602369?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

When Finney-Smith entered the league six years ago, the Dallas Mavericks wing was told that the corner three is the easiest shot in the NBA and that he&rsquo;d &ldquo;make a lot of money" if he could knock it down consistently. &nbsp; &ldquo;I was already playing into the corner my rookie year, and once I realized how many corner threes I was going to get, I just worked on it,&rdquo; Finney-Smith told BasketballNews.com in a one-on-one conversation.
He laughs, as if he's just now realizing that it has become his trademark shot. Then, he shouts out the former teammate who helped his corner three become so deadly.
&ldquo;Wesley Matthews was a good vet for me. He was always telling me that I needed to get that (corner three) shot down pat if I wanted to be on the court," Finney-Smith said. "And I did!"
He would spend the next few years focused, head down, determined to prove he belonged in the league. He developed into a reliable shooter and perfected the corner three, just as Matthews advised.
This season, Finney-Smith shot 46.1% on corner threes &mdash; a huge improvement from his rookie year, when he shot just 26.3% from that spot. During the 2022 NBA Playoffs, he's been even better, knocking down 52.5% of his corner threes.
&ldquo;I had the confidence that I could shoot. I shot the ball well in college, it just ain&rsquo;t translated the first couple of years in the NBA,&rdquo; Finney-Smith said.
He knew there was only one way to get his shot back: stay in the gym and work.
&ldquo;Repetition builds confidence," Finney-Smith explained. "Also, I think my teammates seeing how hard I worked, it also built confidence in them. The ones who have been here with me throughout this journey &mdash; like Maxi [Kleber], Dwight [Powell], Luka [Doncic] &mdash; I think they see the work I put in and that also gives them confidence to give the ball to me in late-game situations.
&ldquo;Guys see the work you put in; they can tell if you've been in the gym or if you been BSing, and I built confidence with those guys, especially Luka, to pass me the ball in those clutch situations. They have trust in me, even when I miss it.&rdquo;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Finney-Smith also earned the trust of Dallas' front office. After playing his best basketball and helping the Mavs win a lot of games (in the regular season and now in the playoffs), Finney-Smith is getting the recognition he deserves. The undrafted baller from Portsmouth, Virginia, was also rewarded with the biggest payday of his career.
In early February &mdash; six years after signing a non-guaranteed contract with the Mavs &mdash; Doe-Doe (as he is affectionately called) signed a four-year contract extension worth a reported $55 million. After earning $4,000,000 this season, he'll reportedly be paid $12,402,000 next year.
He has played his way into a starting role and into the hearts of MFFL&rsquo;s, becoming one of the fan favorites. Finney-Smith has established himself as an integral piece of the Mavs' future after averaging a career-high 11.0 points along with 4.7 rebounds, 2.2 threes, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals (while shooting 47.1% from the field and 39.5% from three-point range).
During the postseason, he has elevated his game to a higher level. In Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Phoenix Suns, Finney-Smith finished with a playoff-career-best 24 points (on 8-12 shooting from three) and 8 rebounds. He became just the third player in Dallas' franchise history to make at least 8 three-pointers in game, joining Maxi Kleber (8 threes against the Utah Jazz on April 18, 2022) and Jason Terry (9 threes against the Los Angeles Lakers on May 8, 2011 &mdash; exactly 11 years to the day).
On Tuesday night, with the Mavs down 0-3 to the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals, he helped lead Dallas to victory with 23 points, 6 rebounds, 4 threes and 2 assists while shooting 69.2% from the field and 57.1% from three.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
The underrated 3-and-D specialist opened up to BasketballNews.com about this Mavs team, his happy place, his experience going undrafted, what talent he wishes he had and much more.&nbsp;
In your own words, how did the Mavs get here &mdash; to the Western Conference Finals?
Dorian Finney-Smith: "Just by staying together. Early in the year, we weren&rsquo;t shooting the ball as well as we wanted to. I feel like we just stuck with it. We didn&rsquo;t blame nobody else; we looked inward and we took accountability as a team. And shout out to the coaches: J-Kidd, he did a good job of making us hold each other accountable. All those close games that we were in the last couple of years, I feel like this year we made that step &mdash; finishing the game the right way."
After going undrafted, what allowed you to keep going mentally? And who's been in your corner?
Finney-Smith: "I have a big family. [The answer is] them. My kid&rsquo;s mom (Jasmine).
"I always felt like when I first made the team, I just wanted to get on the court. And once I got on the court, I just wanted to make sure I showed everyone I belonged. Once I started playing on the regular, I just always wanted my presence to be felt, even if I was making or missing shots."
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/dffs1_lg.png" alt="" width="430" height="374" />
Did you ever think that playing in the NBA wasn&rsquo;t going to happen for you? Did you ever get down on yourself?
Finney-Smith: "Nah. Nah. Hell nah. I never got down. I was a little mad I didn't get what I wanted on my first deal. I played a whole lot, then I started&hellip; just me being&hellip; At times, it was a little frustrating just because I&rsquo;m human."
Who are you closest to on the team?&nbsp;
Finney-Smith: "Trey Burke, Reggie [Bullock]. Actually, we all pretty much hang out together. We are a close-knit team; even Luka comes and kicks it with us. This is probably the closest Mavs team I've been on. When I first got here, I had an older team: Devin Harris, JJ [Barea], Dirk [Nowitzki]."
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Finney-Smith: "Quiet. Or with the kids playing around. When I am not on the court, I am quiet."
What living person do you admire most?
Finney-Smith: "My mom because of her resiliency, and how she never let what she was going through show."
What talent would you most like to have?
Finney-Smith: "I wish I could sing. If I could sing, I probably&hellip; woo&hellip; I would sing all the time. I would sing myself out of trouble. (laughs)"
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?&nbsp;
Finney-Smith: "I don&rsquo;t know. God gave me everything I got for a reason, so nothing."
What drives you? What&rsquo;s your motivation?
Finney-Smith: "I would say fear of failure. Coming from where I came from, a small city, I always grew up around a whole bunch of 'I used to be' or 'what I could have done' stuff like that, so I am just trying to make the most of my opportunity because I know a lot of people may never get this opportunity or the chance to even get this opportunity."
Who is your favorite WNBA team and player?
Finney-Smith: "The (Dallas) Wings. Elizabeth Williams (of the Washington Mystics) is my favorite player. She is from Virgina; we both came out together in high school. She&rsquo;s a Virginia girl."
Who or what is the greatest love(s) of your life?
Finney-Smith: "My kids or my mom."
If you died and could come back as anything or anyone, what would it be and why?
Finney-Smith: "A lion. 'Lion King' is my favorite movie, and I love lions."
If you enjoyed this piece, be sure to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/reggie-bullock" target="_blank" rel="noopener">check out Dorothy J. Gentry's exclusive interview with Dallas Mavericks wing Reggie Bullock</a> as well.
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Dorian Finney-Smith opens up about his breakout season, the Dallas Mavericks' playoff run, going undrafted, his happy place and more.

Dorian Finney-Smith Q&A: 'This is the closest Mavs team I've been on'

Don&rsquo;t get Reggie Bullock twisted.&nbsp;
His smile lights up a room. Same with his laugh. His humble spirit and friendly demeanor can catch you off guard. He jams out to Lil Durk prior to taking to the court.
And oh yeah, he rocks the NBA&rsquo;s toughest hairstyle.
But the 6-foot-6 veteran wingman is also a warrior. A fighter. A rough-rider. He&rsquo;s a versatile defender, able to guard just about anyone on the floor. Leave him wide-open if you want, but that three-ball is likely going in.
Like his sports hero, the late, great Kobe Bryant, Bullock thrives on competition. So much so that when asked what is the best part about competing, he didn&rsquo;t hesitate in his response: &ldquo;Stopping that motherf***er!&rdquo;
It&rsquo;s that tough mentality that has helped Bullock find his rhythm on the court, solidified his role within a surging Dallas Mavericks team and aided in a resurgence of his professional career.
Since joining the Mavs last offseason, the 31-year-old Bullock has become a key role player. He's also become a starter for a Mavs team that has exceeded expectations. He has averaged 12.9 points and shot 39% from three-point range. Meanwhile, the Mavs have put up 50-plus wins for the first time since 2015, finishing the season at 52-30 and landing at fourth place in the Western Conference. They&rsquo;ll have homecourt advantage for the first round of the playoffs, which begin Saturday against the Utah Jazz.&nbsp; &nbsp; Bullock&rsquo;s been an integral member of this Mavs team that zeroed in on players of his caliber when adding to the roster in the offseason.
&ldquo;We definitely wanted to improve shooting, and then also versatility,&rdquo; Mavs GM Nico Harrison said earlier in the season. &ldquo;We wanted players that can play and defend multiple positions.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Reggie Bullock hits the 3 to put the <a href="https://twitter.com/dallasmavs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dallasmavs</a> up 2! Watch Now: <a href="https://t.co/oz9UCQxdQa">https://t.co/oz9UCQxdQa</a> <a href="https://t.co/7BrKSH3zQX">pic.twitter.com/7BrKSH3zQX</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1489083489718882308?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Bullock and his teammates have wholeheartedly bought into incoming coach Jason Kidd&rsquo;s defense-first mindset. The team finished this season second in the NBA in fewest points allowed (104.7 points per game) and seventh in defensive rating (109.1). Last year, they finished 21st (112.3).
The chemistry Bullock provides, especially in the starting lineup, his reliability on both ends of the floor, his skilled ability to switch and his solid defense can&rsquo;t be ignored. In fact, defenders have to play him so close, a gust of wind can barely blow between them. His, &ldquo;I&rsquo;m about to shoot&rdquo; look and stance creates instant space for Luka Doncic and others to go straight into attack mode.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I hang my hat on my defense. I take it personal,&rdquo; he said earlier this year. &ldquo;If a player scores on me, I try to do something different on the next play. I'm a competitive player, and I try to do anything I can to help this team on the offensive and defensive end.&rdquo;
That said, Bullock struggled early in his Mavs tenure, which he equates with trying to find his rhythm and a sense of consistency with his shot.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I went back and looked at shots I&rsquo;ve been shooting since I've been in the league and shots that I shot over these past few seasons. It&rsquo;s the same shot. It&rsquo;s just all about not thinking about it and being confident when taking those shots.
&ldquo;My advice to myself is to see it before it goes in,&rdquo; he continued. &ldquo;Just believe that I&rsquo;m a great shooter and stay within my skillset.&rdquo; &nbsp; That advice seems to have paid off. Since January, he has found both his shot and the confidence to shoot it. This has resulted in success during several key games, including a record-setting one against the team they&rsquo;ll face Saturday, the Utah Jazz. &nbsp; In January, he came off the bench for one of his best games as a Maverick, scoring 23 points (including 6-of-8 from three-point range) en route to a 132-105 victory over the Indiana Pacers.&nbsp; &nbsp; In the Mavs&rsquo; 110-108 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 21, Bullock started after missing four games for personal reasons and finished with 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting (all from three-point range) and 7 rebounds. Six days later, in the Mavs&rsquo; 114-100 victory over the Jazz, Bullock hit a season-high 7 threes, tying his previous best in scoring with 23 points (8-of-12 from the field, 7-of-11 from three), 4 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal in 35 minutes of action. &nbsp;It was a performance that was right on time. &nbsp; &ldquo;Over the last two games, I was struggling from the three, but my team continued to give me confidence,&rdquo; Bullock said after that game. &ldquo;I believe I&rsquo;m one of the best shooters in the league when my feet are set and I get arch on it at the same time. I just have to keep that confidence.&rdquo;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Bullock&rsquo;s shooting confidence, as well as his playoff experience, will be heavily relied upon starting Saturday.&nbsp; &nbsp; In the 2021 NBA Playoffs for the New York Knicks, Bullock averaged playoff career-highs of 8.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 32.4 minutes in five first-round starts against the Atlanta Hawks. Given his performance of late, he&rsquo;ll likely put up better numbers than that, and the Mavs will gladly take it. &nbsp; Meanwhile, as he prepares for the playoffs, Bullock reflects on landing in Dallas, reviving his career and playing alongside &ldquo;one of the greatest players&rdquo; in&nbsp;Doncic.&nbsp; &nbsp; &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a great organization, great weather out here, the team is great," Bullock told BasketballNews.com in an exclusive interview. "It&rsquo;s a pass-first team, we&rsquo;re locked in on defense this year and we&rsquo;ve got a great coach&hellip; It&rsquo;s a great situation.&rdquo;
The success the Mavs are having comes as no surprise to him. &ldquo;I expected this," he said. "This was my only reason for coming here, to be able to help make that next push for the team. We did well (in the regular season). We just have to keep it going for the playoffs.&rdquo;
Sharing the court with Doncic, whom he used to guard on opposing teams, has helped Bullock's resurgence.
&ldquo;Luka is a great player, one of the best in the league. You've always gotta keep your eyes on him, He&rsquo;ll score the ball or pass the ball. He&rsquo;ll tell you what you need to do better. He&rsquo;s a young player, but he&rsquo;s one of the greatest in the league.&rdquo;
Selected 25th overall pick by the Los Angeles Clippers 2013 NBA Draft, Bullock has spent time with the Phoenix Suns, the Detroit Pistons and the Los Angeles Lakers, but playing for Dallas has been a great opportunity for him at this stage of his career.
&ldquo;For sure, coming [to Dallas] has been great in my resurgence as a player in this league,&rdquo; he said.
Off the court, Bullock uses his NBA platform to bring awareness to two issues that have affected him and his family deeply and personally: transgender awareness and gun violence.
On July 16, 2014, Bullock's sister Mia Henderson was found stabbed to death in an alley in West Baltimore. She was only 26 years old. Then, in October of 2019, his family experienced tragedy again when his younger sister, 22-year-old Keiosha, was shot and killed.
Since then, Bullock has been on a mission to keep their memories alive. He has done this by becoming a voice for the Black transgender community and getting involved with LGBTQ+ rights, as well as through efforts to fight gun violence.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
NBA star Reggie Bullock is using his platform to fight for transgender equality after his sister was murdered <a href="https://t.co/cU0sc7rgMM">pic.twitter.com/cU0sc7rgMM</a>
&mdash; NowThis (@nowthisnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/nowthisnews/status/982436044044824577?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2018</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

His sisters would be so proud of the success he is having with the Mavs and would be grateful for the way he is speaking out in their memory.&nbsp;
&ldquo;They would love everything I am doing for the organization, and they would love me just being able to tell their stories and using my platform to talk about the LGBQT+ community and gun violence.
&ldquo;The platform that we have as athletes is important. A lot of people in the world know us, and it&rsquo;s important just being able to use this platform for the right causes, standing up for what you believe in and using your platform in the right way.&rdquo;
As he has found renewed success on the court with the Mavs this season, Bullock is now focusing and clearing his mind ahead of the playoffs. He&rsquo;s also calling for help from all the MFFL&rsquo;s while he&rsquo;s at it.
&ldquo;We need the city behind us, all the fans and all that fan support. We want to take care of business at home.&rdquo;
And while you&rsquo;re watching the game, watch for Bullock&rsquo;s trademark braids to look a tad bit different. &ldquo;I like vibrant colors, and they will be coming through in the playoffs.&rdquo;
The fans can hardly wait.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!

Don&rsquo;t get Reggie Bullock twisted.&nbsp;
His smile lights up a room. Same with his laugh. His humble spirit and friendly demeanor can catch you off guard. He jams out to Lil Durk prior to taking to the court.
And oh yeah, he rocks the NBA&rsquo;s toughest hairstyle.
But the 6-foot-6 veteran wingman is also a warrior. A fighter. A rough-rider. He&rsquo;s a versatile defender, able to guard just about anyone on the floor. Leave him wide-open if you want, but that three-ball is likely going in.
Like his sports hero, the late, great Kobe Bryant, Bullock thrives on competition. So much so that when asked what is the best part about competing, he didn&rsquo;t hesitate in his response: &ldquo;Stopping that motherf***er!&rdquo;
It&rsquo;s that tough mentality that has helped Bullock find his rhythm on the court, solidified his role within a surging Dallas Mavericks team and aided in a resurgence of his professional career.
Since joining the Mavs last offseason, the 31-year-old Bullock has become a key role player. He's also become a starter for a Mavs team that has exceeded expectations. He has averaged 12.9 points and shot 39% from three-point range. Meanwhile, the Mavs have put up 50-plus wins for the first time since 2015, finishing the season at 52-30 and landing at fourth place in the Western Conference. They&rsquo;ll have homecourt advantage for the first round of the playoffs, which begin Saturday against the Utah Jazz.&nbsp; &nbsp; Bullock&rsquo;s been an integral member of this Mavs team that zeroed in on players of his caliber when adding to the roster in the offseason.
&ldquo;We definitely wanted to improve shooting, and then also versatility,&rdquo; Mavs GM Nico Harrison said earlier in the season. &ldquo;We wanted players that can play and defend multiple positions.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Reggie Bullock hits the 3 to put the <a href="https://twitter.com/dallasmavs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dallasmavs</a> up 2! Watch Now: <a href="https://t.co/oz9UCQxdQa">https://t.co/oz9UCQxdQa</a> <a href="https://t.co/7BrKSH3zQX">pic.twitter.com/7BrKSH3zQX</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1489083489718882308?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Bullock and his teammates have wholeheartedly bought into incoming coach Jason Kidd&rsquo;s defense-first mindset. The team finished this season second in the NBA in fewest points allowed (104.7 points per game) and seventh in defensive rating (109.1). Last year, they finished 21st (112.3).
The chemistry Bullock provides, especially in the starting lineup, his reliability on both ends of the floor, his skilled ability to switch and his solid defense can&rsquo;t be ignored. In fact, defenders have to play him so close, a gust of wind can barely blow between them. His, &ldquo;I&rsquo;m about to shoot&rdquo; look and stance creates instant space for Luka Doncic and others to go straight into attack mode.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I hang my hat on my defense. I take it personal,&rdquo; he said earlier this year. &ldquo;If a player scores on me, I try to do something different on the next play. I'm a competitive player, and I try to do anything I can to help this team on the offensive and defensive end.&rdquo;
That said, Bullock struggled early in his Mavs tenure, which he equates with trying to find his rhythm and a sense of consistency with his shot.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I went back and looked at shots I&rsquo;ve been shooting since I've been in the league and shots that I shot over these past few seasons. It&rsquo;s the same shot. It&rsquo;s just all about not thinking about it and being confident when taking those shots.
&ldquo;My advice to myself is to see it before it goes in,&rdquo; he continued. &ldquo;Just believe that I&rsquo;m a great shooter and stay within my skillset.&rdquo; &nbsp; That advice seems to have paid off. Since January, he has found both his shot and the confidence to shoot it. This has resulted in success during several key games, including a record-setting one against the team they&rsquo;ll face Saturday, the Utah Jazz. &nbsp; In January, he came off the bench for one of his best games as a Maverick, scoring 23 points (including 6-of-8 from three-point range) en route to a 132-105 victory over the Indiana Pacers.&nbsp; &nbsp; In the Mavs&rsquo; 110-108 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 21, Bullock started after missing four games for personal reasons and finished with 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting (all from three-point range) and 7 rebounds. Six days later, in the Mavs&rsquo; 114-100 victory over the Jazz, Bullock hit a season-high 7 threes, tying his previous best in scoring with 23 points (8-of-12 from the field, 7-of-11 from three), 4 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal in 35 minutes of action. &nbsp;It was a performance that was right on time. &nbsp; &ldquo;Over the last two games, I was struggling from the three, but my team continued to give me confidence,&rdquo; Bullock said after that game. &ldquo;I believe I&rsquo;m one of the best shooters in the league when my feet are set and I get arch on it at the same time. I just have to keep that confidence.&rdquo;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Bullock&rsquo;s shooting confidence, as well as his playoff experience, will be heavily relied upon starting Saturday.&nbsp; &nbsp; In the 2021 NBA Playoffs for the New York Knicks, Bullock averaged playoff career-highs of 8.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 32.4 minutes in five first-round starts against the Atlanta Hawks. Given his performance of late, he&rsquo;ll likely put up better numbers than that, and the Mavs will gladly take it. &nbsp; Meanwhile, as he prepares for the playoffs, Bullock reflects on landing in Dallas, reviving his career and playing alongside &ldquo;one of the greatest players&rdquo; in&nbsp;Doncic.&nbsp; &nbsp; &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a great organization, great weather out here, the team is great," Bullock told BasketballNews.com in an exclusive interview. "It&rsquo;s a pass-first team, we&rsquo;re locked in on defense this year and we&rsquo;ve got a great coach&hellip; It&rsquo;s a great situation.&rdquo;
The success the Mavs are having comes as no surprise to him.
&ldquo;I expected this," he said. "This was my only reason for coming here, to be able to help make that next push for the team. We did well (in the regular season). We just have to keep it going for the playoffs.&rdquo;
Sharing the court with Doncic, whom he used to guard on opposing teams, has helped Bullock's resurgence.
&ldquo;Luka is a great player, one of the best in the league. You've always gotta keep your eyes on him, He&rsquo;ll score the ball or pass the ball. He&rsquo;ll tell you what you need to do better. He&rsquo;s a young player, but he&rsquo;s one of the greatest in the league.&rdquo;
Selected 25th overall pick by the Los Angeles Clippers 2013 NBA Draft, Bullock has spent time with the Phoenix Suns, the Detroit Pistons and the Los Angeles Lakers, but playing for Dallas has been a great opportunity for him at this stage of his career.
&ldquo;For sure, coming [to Dallas] has been great in my resurgence as a player in this league,&rdquo; he said.
Off the court, Bullock uses his NBA platform to bring awareness to two issues that have affected him and his family deeply and personally: transgender awareness and gun violence.
On July 16, 2014, Bullock's sister Mia Henderson was found stabbed to death in an alley in West Baltimore. She was only 26 years old. Then, in October of 2019, his family experienced tragedy again when his younger sister, 22-year-old Keiosha, was shot and killed.
Since then, Bullock has been on a mission to keep their memories alive. He has done this by becoming a voice for the Black transgender community and getting involved with LGBTQ+ rights, as well as through efforts to fight gun violence.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
NBA star Reggie Bullock is using his platform to fight for transgender equality after his sister was murdered <a href="https://t.co/cU0sc7rgMM">pic.twitter.com/cU0sc7rgMM</a>
&mdash; NowThis (@nowthisnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/nowthisnews/status/982436044044824577?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2018</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

His sisters would be so proud of the success he is having with the Mavs and would be grateful for the way he is speaking out in their memory.&nbsp;
&ldquo;They would love everything I am doing for the organization, and they would love me just being able to tell their stories and using my platform to talk about the LGBQT+ community and gun violence.
&ldquo;The platform that we have as athletes is important. A lot of people in the world know us, and it&rsquo;s important just being able to use this platform for the right causes, standing up for what you believe in and using your platform in the right way.&rdquo;
As he has found renewed success on the court with the Mavs this season, Bullock is now focusing and clearing his mind ahead of the playoffs. He&rsquo;s also calling for help from all the MFFL&rsquo;s while he&rsquo;s at it.
&ldquo;We need the city behind us, all the fans and all that fan support. We want to take care of business at home.&rdquo;
And while you&rsquo;re watching the game, watch for Bullock&rsquo;s trademark braids to look a tad bit different. &ldquo;I like vibrant colors, and they will be coming through in the playoffs.&rdquo;
The fans can hardly wait.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!

Don&rsquo;t get Reggie Bullock twisted.&nbsp;
His smile lights up a room. Same with his laugh. His humble spirit and friendly demeanor can catch you off guard. He jams out to Lil Durk prior to taking to the court.
And oh yeah, he rocks the NBA&rsquo;s toughest hairstyle.
But the 6-foot-6 veteran wingman is also a warrior. A fighter. A rough-rider. He&rsquo;s a versatile defender, able to guard just about anyone on the floor. Leave him wide-open if you want, but that three-ball is likely going in.
Like his sports hero, the late, great Kobe Bryant, Bullock thrives on competition. So much so that when asked what is the best part about competing, he didn&rsquo;t hesitate in his response: &ldquo;Stopping that motherf***er!&rdquo;
It&rsquo;s that tough mentality that has helped Bullock find his rhythm on the court, solidified his role within a surging Dallas Mavericks team and aided in a resurgence of his professional career.
Since joining the Mavs last offseason, the 31-year-old Bullock has become a key role player. He's also become a starter for a Mavs team that has exceeded expectations. He has averaged 12.9 points and shot 39% from three-point range. Meanwhile, the Mavs have put up 50-plus wins for the first time since 2015, finishing the season at 52-30 and landing at fourth place in the Western Conference. They&rsquo;ll have homecourt advantage for the first round of the playoffs, which begin Saturday against the Utah Jazz.&nbsp; &nbsp; Bullock&rsquo;s been an integral member of this Mavs team that zeroed in on players of his caliber when adding to the roster in the offseason.
&ldquo;We definitely wanted to improve shooting, and then also versatility,&rdquo; Mavs GM Nico Harrison said earlier in the season. &ldquo;We wanted players that can play and defend multiple positions.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Reggie Bullock hits the 3 to put the <a href="https://twitter.com/dallasmavs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dallasmavs</a> up 2! Watch Now: <a href="https://t.co/oz9UCQxdQa">https://t.co/oz9UCQxdQa</a> <a href="https://t.co/7BrKSH3zQX">pic.twitter.com/7BrKSH3zQX</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1489083489718882308?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Bullock and his teammates have wholeheartedly bought into incoming coach Jason Kidd&rsquo;s defense-first mindset. The team finished this season second in the NBA in fewest points allowed (104.7 points per game) and seventh in defensive rating (109.1). Last year, they finished 21st (112.3).
The chemistry Bullock provides, especially in the starting lineup, his reliability on both ends of the floor, his skilled ability to switch and his solid defense can&rsquo;t be ignored. In fact, defenders have to play him so close, a gust of wind can barely blow between them. His, &ldquo;I&rsquo;m about to shoot&rdquo; look and stance creates instant space for Luka Doncic and others to go straight into attack mode.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I hang my hat on my defense. I take it personal,&rdquo; he said earlier this year. &ldquo;If a player scores on me, I try to do something different on the next play. I'm a competitive player, and I try to do anything I can to help this team on the offensive and defensive end.&rdquo;
That said, Bullock struggled early in his Mavs tenure, which he equates with trying to find his rhythm and a sense of consistency with his shot.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I went back and looked at shots I&rsquo;ve been shooting since I've been in the league and shots that I shot over these past few seasons. It&rsquo;s the same shot. It&rsquo;s just all about not thinking about it and being confident when taking those shots.
&ldquo;My advice to myself is to see it before it goes in,&rdquo; he continued. &ldquo;Just believe that I&rsquo;m a great shooter and stay within my skillset.&rdquo; &nbsp; That advice seems to have paid off. Since January, he has found both his shot and the confidence to shoot it. This has resulted in success during several key games, including a record-setting one against the team they&rsquo;ll face Saturday, the Utah Jazz. &nbsp; In January, he came off the bench for one of his best games as a Maverick, scoring 23 points (including 6-of-8 from three-point range) en route to a 132-105 victory over the Indiana Pacers.&nbsp; &nbsp; In the Mavs&rsquo; 110-108 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 21, Bullock started after missing four games for personal reasons and finished with 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting (all from three-point range) and 7 rebounds. Six days later, in the Mavs&rsquo; 114-100 victory over the Jazz, Bullock hit a season-high 7 threes, tying his previous best in scoring with 23 points (8-of-12 from the field, 7-of-11 from three), 4 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal in 35 minutes of action. &nbsp;It was a performance that was right on time. &nbsp; &ldquo;Over the last two games, I was struggling from the three, but my team continued to give me confidence,&rdquo; Bullock said after that game. &ldquo;I believe I&rsquo;m one of the best shooters in the league when my feet are set and I get arch on it at the same time. I just have to keep that confidence.&rdquo;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Bullock&rsquo;s shooting confidence, as well as his playoff experience, will be heavily relied upon starting Saturday.&nbsp; &nbsp; In the 2021 NBA Playoffs for the New York Knicks, Bullock averaged playoff career-highs of 8.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 32.4 minutes in five first-round starts against the Atlanta Hawks. Given his performance of late, he&rsquo;ll likely put up better numbers than that, and the Mavs will gladly take it. &nbsp; Meanwhile, as he prepares for the playoffs, Bullock reflects on landing in Dallas, reviving his career and playing alongside &ldquo;one of the greatest players&rdquo; in&nbsp;Doncic.&nbsp; &nbsp; &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a great organization, great weather out here, the team is great," Bullock told BasketballNews.com in an exclusive interview. "It&rsquo;s a pass-first team, we&rsquo;re locked in on defense this year and we&rsquo;ve got a great coach&hellip; It&rsquo;s a great situation.&rdquo;
The success the Mavs are having comes as no surprise to him.
&ldquo;I expected this," he said. "This was my only reason for coming here, to be able to help make that next push for the team. We did well [in the regular season]. We just have to keep it going for the playoffs.&rdquo;
Sharing the court with Doncic, whom he used to guard on opposing teams, has helped Bullock's resurgence.
&ldquo;Luka is a great player, one of the best in the league," Bullock said. "You've always gotta keep your eyes on him, He&rsquo;ll score the ball or pass the ball. He&rsquo;ll tell you what you need to do better. He&rsquo;s a young player, but he&rsquo;s one of the greatest in the league.&rdquo;
Selected 25th overall pick by the Los Angeles Clippers 2013 NBA Draft, Bullock has spent time with the Phoenix Suns, the Detroit Pistons and the Los Angeles Lakers, but playing for Dallas has been a great opportunity for him at this stage of his career.
&ldquo;For sure, coming [to Dallas] has been great in my resurgence as a player in this league,&rdquo; he said.
Off the court, Bullock uses his NBA platform to bring awareness to two issues that have affected him and his family deeply and personally: transgender awareness and gun violence.
On July 16, 2014, Bullock's sister Mia Henderson was found stabbed to death in an alley in West Baltimore. She was only 26 years old. Then, in October of 2019, his family experienced tragedy again when his younger sister, 22-year-old Keiosha, was shot and killed.
Since then, Bullock has been on a mission to keep their memories alive. He has done this by becoming a voice for the Black transgender community and getting involved with LGBTQ+ rights, as well as through efforts to fight gun violence.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
NBA star Reggie Bullock is using his platform to fight for transgender equality after his sister was murdered <a href="https://t.co/cU0sc7rgMM">pic.twitter.com/cU0sc7rgMM</a>
&mdash; NowThis (@nowthisnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/nowthisnews/status/982436044044824577?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2018</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

His sisters would be so proud of the success he is having with the Mavs and would be grateful for the way he is speaking out in their memory.&nbsp;
&ldquo;They would love everything I am doing for the organization, and they would love me just being able to tell their stories and using my platform to talk about the LGBQT+ community and gun violence.
&ldquo;The platform that we have as athletes is important. A lot of people in the world know us, and it&rsquo;s important just being able to use this platform for the right causes, standing up for what you believe in and using your platform in the right way.&rdquo;
As he has found renewed success on the court with the Mavs this season, Bullock is now focusing and clearing his mind ahead of the playoffs. He&rsquo;s also calling for help from all the MFFL&rsquo;s while he&rsquo;s at it.
&ldquo;We need the city behind us, all the fans and all that fan support. We want to take care of business at home.&rdquo;
And while you&rsquo;re watching the game, watch for Bullock&rsquo;s trademark braids to look a tad bit different. &ldquo;I like vibrant colors, and they will be coming through in the playoffs.&rdquo;
The fans can hardly wait.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!

Don&rsquo;t get Reggie Bullock twisted.&nbsp;
His smile lights up a room. Same with his laugh. His humble spirit and friendly demeanor can catch you off guard. He jams out to Lil Durk prior to taking to the court.
And oh yeah, he rocks the NBA&rsquo;s toughest hairstyle.
But the 6-foot-6 veteran wingman is also a warrior. A fighter. A rough-rider. He&rsquo;s a versatile defender, able to guard just about anyone on the floor. Leave him wide-open if you want, but that three-ball is likely going in.
Like his sports hero, the late, great Kobe Bryant, Bullock thrives on competition. So much so that when asked what is the best part about competing, he didn&rsquo;t hesitate in his response: &ldquo;Stopping that motherf***er!&rdquo;
It&rsquo;s that tough mentality that has helped Bullock find his rhythm on the court, solidified his role within a surging Dallas Mavericks team and aided in a resurgence of his professional career.
Since joining the Mavs last offseason, the 31-year-old Bullock has become a key role player. He's also become a starter for a Mavs team that has exceeded expectations. He has averaged 12.9 points and shot 39% from three-point range. Meanwhile, the Mavs have put up 50-plus wins for the first time since 2015, finishing the season at 52-30 and landing at fourth place in the Western Conference. They&rsquo;ll have homecourt advantage for the first round of the playoffs, which begin Saturday against the Utah Jazz.&nbsp; &nbsp; Bullock&rsquo;s been an integral member of this Mavs team that zeroed in on players of his caliber when adding to the roster in the offseason.
&ldquo;We definitely wanted to improve shooting, and then also versatility,&rdquo; Mavs GM Nico Harrison said earlier in the season. &ldquo;We wanted players that can play and defend multiple positions.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Reggie Bullock hits the 3 to put the <a href="https://twitter.com/dallasmavs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dallasmavs</a> up 2! Watch Now: <a href="https://t.co/oz9UCQxdQa">https://t.co/oz9UCQxdQa</a> <a href="https://t.co/7BrKSH3zQX">pic.twitter.com/7BrKSH3zQX</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1489083489718882308?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Bullock and his teammates have wholeheartedly bought into incoming coach Jason Kidd&rsquo;s defense-first mindset. The team finished this season second in the NBA in fewest points allowed (104.7 points per game) and seventh in defensive rating (109.1). Last year, they finished 21st (112.3).
The chemistry Bullock provides, especially in the starting lineup, his reliability on both ends of the floor, his skilled ability to switch and his solid defense can&rsquo;t be ignored. In fact, defenders have to play him so close, a gust of wind can barely blow between them. His, &ldquo;I&rsquo;m about to shoot&rdquo; look and stance creates instant space for Luka Doncic and others to go straight into attack mode.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I hang my hat on my defense. I take it personal,&rdquo; he said earlier this year. &ldquo;If a player scores on me, I try to do something different on the next play. I'm a competitive player, and I try to do anything I can to help this team on the offensive and defensive end.&rdquo;
That said, Bullock struggled early in his Mavs tenure, which he equates with trying to find his rhythm and a sense of consistency with his shot.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I went back and looked at shots I&rsquo;ve been shooting since I've been in the league and shots that I shot over these past few seasons. It&rsquo;s the same shot. It&rsquo;s just all about not thinking about it and being confident when taking those shots.
&ldquo;My advice to myself is to see it before it goes in,&rdquo; he continued. &ldquo;Just believe that I&rsquo;m a great shooter and stay within my skillset.&rdquo; &nbsp; That advice seems to have paid off. Since January, he has found both his shot and the confidence to shoot it. This has resulted in success during several key games, including a record-setting one against the team they&rsquo;ll face Saturday, the Utah Jazz. &nbsp; In January, he came off the bench for one of his best games as a Maverick, scoring 23 points (including 6-of-8 from three-point range) en route to a 132-105 victory over the Indiana Pacers.&nbsp; &nbsp; In the Mavs&rsquo; 110-108 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 21, Bullock started after missing four games for personal reasons and finished with 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting (all from three-point range) and 7 rebounds. Six days later, in the Mavs&rsquo; 114-100 victory over the Jazz, Bullock hit a season-high 7 threes, tying his previous best in scoring with 23 points (8-of-12 from the field, 7-of-11 from three), 4 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal in 35 minutes of action. &nbsp;It was a performance that was right on time. &nbsp; &ldquo;Over the last two games, I was struggling from the three, but my team continued to give me confidence,&rdquo; Bullock said after that game. &ldquo;I believe I&rsquo;m one of the best shooters in the league when my feet are set and I get arch on it at the same time. I just have to keep that confidence.&rdquo;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Bullock&rsquo;s shooting confidence, as well as his playoff experience, will be heavily relied upon starting Saturday.&nbsp; &nbsp; In the 2021 NBA Playoffs for the New York Knicks, Bullock averaged playoff career-highs of 8.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 32.4 minutes in five first-round starts against the Atlanta Hawks. Given his performance of late, he&rsquo;ll likely put up better numbers than that, and the Mavs will gladly take it. &nbsp; Meanwhile, as he prepares for the playoffs, Bullock reflects on landing in Dallas, reviving his career and playing alongside &ldquo;one of the greatest players&rdquo; in&nbsp;Doncic.&nbsp; &nbsp; &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a great organization, great weather out here, the team is great," Bullock told BasketballNews.com in an exclusive interview. "It&rsquo;s a pass-first team, we&rsquo;re locked in on defense this year and we&rsquo;ve got a great coach&hellip; It&rsquo;s a great situation.&rdquo;
The success the Mavs are having comes as no surprise to him.
&ldquo;I expected this," he said. "This was my only reason for coming here, to be able to help make that next push for the team. We did well [in the regular season]. We just have to keep it going for the playoffs.&rdquo;
Sharing the court with Doncic, whom he used to guard on opposing teams, has helped Bullock's resurgence.
&ldquo;Luka is a great player, one of the best in the league," Bullock said. "You've always gotta keep your eyes on him, He&rsquo;ll score the ball or pass the ball. He&rsquo;ll tell you what you need to do better. He&rsquo;s a young player, but he&rsquo;s one of the greatest in the league.&rdquo;
Selected No. 25 overall by the Los Angeles Clippers 2013 NBA Draft, Bullock has spent time with the Phoenix Suns, the Detroit Pistons and the Los Angeles Lakers, but playing for Dallas has been a great opportunity for him at this stage of his career.
&ldquo;For sure, coming [to Dallas] has been great in my resurgence as a player in this league,&rdquo; he said.
Off the court, Bullock uses his NBA platform to bring awareness to two issues that have affected him and his family deeply and personally: transgender awareness and gun violence.
On July 16, 2014, Bullock's sister Mia Henderson was found stabbed to death in an alley in West Baltimore. She was only 26 years old. Then, in October of 2019, his family experienced tragedy again when his younger sister, 22-year-old Keiosha, was shot and killed.
Since then, Bullock has been on a mission to keep their memories alive. He has done this by becoming a voice for the Black transgender community and getting involved with LGBTQ+ rights, as well as through efforts to fight gun violence.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
NBA star Reggie Bullock is using his platform to fight for transgender equality after his sister was murdered <a href="https://t.co/cU0sc7rgMM">pic.twitter.com/cU0sc7rgMM</a>
&mdash; NowThis (@nowthisnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/nowthisnews/status/982436044044824577?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2018</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

His sisters would be so proud of the success he is having with the Mavs and would be grateful for the way he is speaking out in their memory.&nbsp;
&ldquo;They would love everything I am doing for the organization, and they would love me just being able to tell their stories and using my platform to talk about the LGBQT+ community and gun violence.
&ldquo;The platform that we have as athletes is important. A lot of people in the world know us, and it&rsquo;s important just being able to use this platform for the right causes, standing up for what you believe in and using your platform in the right way.&rdquo;
As he has found renewed success on the court with the Mavs this season, Bullock is now focusing and clearing his mind ahead of the playoffs. He&rsquo;s also calling for help from all the MFFL&rsquo;s while he&rsquo;s at it.
&ldquo;We need the city behind us, all the fans and all that fan support. We want to take care of business at home.&rdquo;
And while you&rsquo;re watching the game, watch for Bullock&rsquo;s trademark braids to look a tad bit different. &ldquo;I like vibrant colors, and they will be coming through in the playoffs.&rdquo;
The fans can hardly wait.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!

Don&rsquo;t get Reggie Bullock twisted.&nbsp;
His smile lights up a room. Same with his laugh. His humble spirit and friendly demeanor can catch you off guard. He jams out to Lil Durk prior to taking to the court.
And oh yeah, he rocks the NBA&rsquo;s toughest hairstyle.
But the 6-foot-6 veteran wingman is also a warrior. A fighter. A rough-rider. He&rsquo;s a versatile defender, able to guard just about anyone on the floor. Leave him wide-open if you want, but that three-ball is likely going in.
Like his sports hero, the late, great Kobe Bryant, Bullock thrives on competition. So much so that when asked what is the best part about competing, he didn&rsquo;t hesitate in his response: &ldquo;Stopping that motherf***er!&rdquo;
It&rsquo;s that tough mentality that has helped Bullock find his rhythm on the court, solidified his role within a surging Dallas Mavericks team and aided in a resurgence of his professional career.
Since joining the Mavs last offseason, the 31-year-old Bullock has become a key role player. He's also become a starter for a Mavs team that has exceeded expectations. He has averaged 12.9 points and shot 39% from three-point range. Meanwhile, the Mavs have put up 50-plus wins for the first time since 2015, finishing the season at 52-30 and landing at fourth place in the Western Conference. They&rsquo;ll have homecourt advantage for the first round of the playoffs, which begin Saturday against the Utah Jazz.&nbsp; &nbsp; Bullock&rsquo;s been an integral member of this Mavs team that zeroed in on players of his caliber when adding to the roster in the offseason.
&ldquo;We definitely wanted to improve shooting, and then also versatility,&rdquo; Mavs GM Nico Harrison said earlier in the season. &ldquo;We wanted players that can play and defend multiple positions.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Reggie Bullock hits the 3 to put the <a href="https://twitter.com/dallasmavs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dallasmavs</a> up 2! Watch Now: <a href="https://t.co/oz9UCQxdQa">https://t.co/oz9UCQxdQa</a> <a href="https://t.co/7BrKSH3zQX">pic.twitter.com/7BrKSH3zQX</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1489083489718882308?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Bullock and his teammates have wholeheartedly bought into incoming coach Jason Kidd&rsquo;s defense-first mindset. The team finished this season second in the NBA in fewest points allowed (104.7 points per game) and seventh in defensive rating (109.1). Last year, they finished 21st (112.3).
The chemistry Bullock provides, especially in the starting lineup, his reliability on both ends of the floor, his skilled ability to switch and his solid defense can&rsquo;t be ignored. In fact, defenders have to play him so close, a gust of wind can barely blow between them. His, &ldquo;I&rsquo;m about to shoot&rdquo; look and stance creates instant space for Luka Doncic and others to go straight into attack mode.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I hang my hat on my defense. I take it personal,&rdquo; he said earlier this year. &ldquo;If a player scores on me, I try to do something different on the next play. I'm a competitive player, and I try to do anything I can to help this team on the offensive and defensive end.&rdquo;
That said, Bullock struggled early in his Mavs tenure, which he equates with trying to find his rhythm and a sense of consistency with his shot.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I went back and looked at shots I&rsquo;ve been shooting since I've been in the league and shots that I shot over these past few seasons. It&rsquo;s the same shot. It&rsquo;s just all about not thinking about it and being confident when taking those shots.
&ldquo;My advice to myself is to see it before it goes in,&rdquo; he continued. &ldquo;Just believe that I&rsquo;m a great shooter and stay within my skillset.&rdquo; &nbsp; That advice seems to have paid off. Since January, he has found both his shot and the confidence to shoot it. This has resulted in success during several key games, including a record-setting one against the team they&rsquo;ll face Saturday, the Utah Jazz. &nbsp; In January, he came off the bench for one of his best games as a Maverick, scoring 23 points (including 6-of-8 from three-point range) en route to a 132-105 victory over the Indiana Pacers.&nbsp; &nbsp; In the Mavs&rsquo; 110-108 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 21, Bullock started after missing four games for personal reasons and finished with 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting (all from three-point range) and 7 rebounds. Six days later, in the Mavs&rsquo; 114-100 victory over the Jazz, Bullock hit a season-high 7 threes, tying his previous best in scoring with 23 points (8-of-12 from the field, 7-of-11 from three), 4 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal in 35 minutes of action. &nbsp;It was a performance that was right on time. &nbsp; &ldquo;Over the last two games, I was struggling from the three, but my team continued to give me confidence,&rdquo; Bullock said after that game. &ldquo;I believe I&rsquo;m one of the best shooters in the league when my feet are set and I get arch on it at the same time. I just have to keep that confidence.&rdquo;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Bullock&rsquo;s shooting confidence, as well as his playoff experience, will be heavily relied upon starting Saturday.&nbsp; &nbsp; In the 2021 NBA Playoffs for the New York Knicks, Bullock averaged playoff career-highs of 8.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 32.4 minutes in five first-round starts against the Atlanta Hawks. Given his performance of late, he&rsquo;ll likely put up better numbers than that, and the Mavs will gladly take it. &nbsp; Meanwhile, as he prepares for the playoffs, Bullock reflects on landing in Dallas, reviving his career and playing alongside &ldquo;one of the greatest players&rdquo; in&nbsp;Doncic.&nbsp; &nbsp; &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a great organization, great weather out here, the team is great," Bullock told BasketballNews.com in an exclusive interview. "It&rsquo;s a pass-first team, we&rsquo;re locked in on defense this year and we&rsquo;ve got a great coach&hellip; It&rsquo;s a great situation.&rdquo;
The success the Mavs are having comes as no surprise to him.
&ldquo;I expected this," he said. "This was my only reason for coming here, to be able to help make that next push for the team. We did well [in the regular season]. We just have to keep it going for the playoffs.&rdquo;
Sharing the court with Doncic, whom he used to guard on opposing teams, has helped Bullock's resurgence.
&ldquo;Luka is a great player, one of the best in the league," Bullock said. "You've always gotta keep your eyes on him, He&rsquo;ll score the ball or pass the ball. He&rsquo;ll tell you what you need to do better. He&rsquo;s a young player, but he&rsquo;s one of the greatest in the league.&rdquo;
Selected No. 25 overall by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2013 NBA Draft, Bullock has spent time with the Phoenix Suns, the Detroit Pistons and the Los Angeles Lakers, but playing for Dallas has been a great opportunity for him at this stage of his career.
&ldquo;For sure, coming [to Dallas] has been great in my resurgence as a player in this league,&rdquo; he said.
Off the court, Bullock uses his NBA platform to bring awareness to two issues that have affected him and his family deeply and personally: transgender awareness and gun violence.
On July 16, 2014, Bullock's sister Mia Henderson was found stabbed to death in an alley in West Baltimore. She was only 26 years old. Then, in October of 2019, his family experienced tragedy again when his younger sister, 22-year-old Keiosha, was shot and killed.
Since then, Bullock has been on a mission to keep their memories alive. He has done this by becoming a voice for the Black transgender community and getting involved with LGBTQ+ rights, as well as through efforts to fight gun violence.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
NBA star Reggie Bullock is using his platform to fight for transgender equality after his sister was murdered <a href="https://t.co/cU0sc7rgMM">pic.twitter.com/cU0sc7rgMM</a>
&mdash; NowThis (@nowthisnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/nowthisnews/status/982436044044824577?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2018</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

His sisters would be so proud of the success he is having with the Mavs and would be grateful for the way he is speaking out in their memory.&nbsp;
&ldquo;They would love everything I am doing for the organization, and they would love me just being able to tell their stories and using my platform to talk about the LGBQT+ community and gun violence.
&ldquo;The platform that we have as athletes is important. A lot of people in the world know us, and it&rsquo;s important just being able to use this platform for the right causes, standing up for what you believe in and using your platform in the right way.&rdquo;
As he has found renewed success on the court with the Mavs this season, Bullock is now focusing and clearing his mind ahead of the playoffs. He&rsquo;s also calling for help from all the MFFL&rsquo;s while he&rsquo;s at it.
&ldquo;We need the city behind us, all the fans and all that fan support. We want to take care of business at home.&rdquo;
And while you&rsquo;re watching the game, watch for Bullock&rsquo;s trademark braids to look a tad bit different. &ldquo;I like vibrant colors, and they will be coming through in the playoffs.&rdquo;
The fans can hardly wait.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!

Don&rsquo;t get Reggie Bullock twisted.&nbsp;
His smile lights up a room. Same with his laugh. His humble spirit and friendly demeanor can catch you off guard. He jams out to Lil Durk prior to taking to the court.
And oh yeah, he rocks the NBA&rsquo;s toughest hairstyle.
But the 6-foot-6 veteran wingman is also a warrior. A fighter. A rough-rider. He&rsquo;s a versatile defender, able to guard just about anyone on the floor. Leave him wide-open if you want, but that three-ball is likely going in.
Like his sports hero, the late, great Kobe Bryant, Bullock thrives on competition. So much so that when asked what is the best part about competing, he didn&rsquo;t hesitate in his response: &ldquo;Stopping that motherf***er!&rdquo;
It&rsquo;s that tough mentality that has helped Bullock find his rhythm on the court, solidified his role within a surging Dallas Mavericks team and aided in a resurgence of his professional career.
Since joining the Mavs last offseason, the 31-year-old Bullock has become a key role player. He's also become a starter for a Mavs team that has exceeded expectations. He has averaged 12.9 points and shot 39% from three-point range. Meanwhile, the Mavs have put up 50-plus wins for the first time since 2015, finishing the season at 52-30 and landing at fourth place in the Western Conference. They&rsquo;ll have homecourt advantage for the first round of the playoffs, which begin Saturday against the Utah Jazz.&nbsp; &nbsp; Bullock&rsquo;s been an integral member of this Mavs team that zeroed in on players of his caliber when adding to the roster in the offseason.
&ldquo;We definitely wanted to improve shooting, and then also versatility,&rdquo; Mavs GM Nico Harrison said earlier in the season. &ldquo;We wanted players that can play and defend multiple positions.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Reggie Bullock hits the 3 to put the <a href="https://twitter.com/dallasmavs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dallasmavs</a> up 2! Watch Now: <a href="https://t.co/oz9UCQxdQa">https://t.co/oz9UCQxdQa</a> <a href="https://t.co/7BrKSH3zQX">pic.twitter.com/7BrKSH3zQX</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1489083489718882308?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Bullock and his teammates have wholeheartedly bought into incoming coach Jason Kidd&rsquo;s defense-first mindset. The team finished this season second in the NBA in fewest points allowed (104.7 points per game) and seventh in defensive rating (109.1). Last year, they finished 21st (112.3).
The chemistry Bullock provides, especially in the starting lineup, his reliability on both ends of the floor, his skilled ability to switch and his solid defense can&rsquo;t be ignored. In fact, defenders have to play him so close, a gust of wind can barely blow between them. His, &ldquo;I&rsquo;m about to shoot&rdquo; look and stance creates instant space for Luka Doncic and others to go straight into attack mode.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I hang my hat on my defense. I take it personal,&rdquo; he said earlier this year. &ldquo;If a player scores on me, I try to do something different on the next play. I'm a competitive player, and I try to do anything I can to help this team on the offensive and defensive end.&rdquo;
That said, Bullock struggled early in his Mavs tenure, which he equates with trying to find his rhythm and a sense of consistency with his shot.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I went back and looked at shots I&rsquo;ve been shooting since I've been in the league and shots that I shot over these past few seasons. It&rsquo;s the same shot. It&rsquo;s just all about not thinking about it and being confident when taking those shots.
&ldquo;My advice to myself is to see it before it goes in,&rdquo; he continued. &ldquo;Just believe that I&rsquo;m a great shooter and stay within my skillset.&rdquo; &nbsp; That advice seems to have paid off. Since January, he has found both his shot and the confidence to shoot it. This has resulted in success during several key games, including a record-setting one against the team they&rsquo;ll face Saturday, the Utah Jazz. &nbsp; In January, he came off the bench for one of his best games as a Maverick, scoring 23 points (including 6-of-8 from three-point range) en route to a 132-105 victory over the Indiana Pacers.&nbsp; &nbsp; In the Mavs&rsquo; 110-108 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 21, Bullock started after missing four games for personal reasons and finished with 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting (all from three-point range) and 7 rebounds. Six days later, in the Mavs&rsquo; 114-100 victory over the Jazz, Bullock hit a season-high 7 threes, tying his previous best in scoring with 23 points (8-of-12 from the field, 7-of-11 from three), 4 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal in 35 minutes of action. &nbsp;It was a performance that was right on time. &nbsp; &ldquo;Over the last two games, I was struggling from the three, but my team continued to give me confidence,&rdquo; Bullock said after that game. &ldquo;I believe I&rsquo;m one of the best shooters in the league when my feet are set and I get arch on it at the same time. I just have to keep that confidence.&rdquo;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Bullock&rsquo;s shooting confidence, as well as his playoff experience, will be heavily relied upon starting Saturday.&nbsp; &nbsp; In the 2021 NBA Playoffs for the New York Knicks, Bullock averaged playoff career-highs of 8.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 32.4 minutes in five first-round starts against the Atlanta Hawks. Given his performance of late, he&rsquo;ll likely put up better numbers than that, and the Mavs will gladly take it. &nbsp; Meanwhile, as he prepares for the playoffs, Bullock reflects on landing in Dallas, reviving his career and playing alongside &ldquo;one of the greatest players&rdquo; in&nbsp;Doncic.&nbsp; &nbsp; &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a great organization, great weather out here, the team is great," Bullock told BasketballNews.com in an exclusive interview. "It&rsquo;s a pass-first team, we&rsquo;re locked in on defense this year and we&rsquo;ve got a great coach&hellip; It&rsquo;s a great situation.&rdquo;
The success the Mavs are having comes as no surprise to him.
&ldquo;I expected this," he said. "This was my only reason for coming here, to be able to help make that next push for the team. We did well [in the regular season]. We just have to keep it going for the playoffs.&rdquo;
Sharing the court with Doncic, whom he used to guard on opposing teams, has helped Bullock's resurgence.
&ldquo;Luka is a great player, one of the best in the league," Bullock said. "You've always gotta keep your eyes on him, He&rsquo;ll score the ball or pass the ball. He&rsquo;ll tell you what you need to do better. He&rsquo;s a young player, but he&rsquo;s one of the greatest in the league.&rdquo;
Selected No. 25 overall by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2013 NBA Draft, Bullock has spent time with the Phoenix Suns, Detroit Pistons and Los Angeles Lakers, but playing for Dallas has been a great opportunity for him at this stage of his career.
&ldquo;For sure, coming [to Dallas] has been great in my resurgence as a player in this league,&rdquo; he said.
Off the court, Bullock uses his NBA platform to bring awareness to two issues that have affected him and his family deeply and personally: transgender awareness and gun violence.
On July 16, 2014, Bullock's sister Mia Henderson was found stabbed to death in an alley in West Baltimore. She was only 26 years old. Then, in October of 2019, his family experienced tragedy again when his younger sister, 22-year-old Keiosha, was shot and killed.
Since then, Bullock has been on a mission to keep their memories alive. He has done this by becoming a voice for the Black transgender community and getting involved with LGBTQ+ rights, as well as through efforts to fight gun violence.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
NBA star Reggie Bullock is using his platform to fight for transgender equality after his sister was murdered <a href="https://t.co/cU0sc7rgMM">pic.twitter.com/cU0sc7rgMM</a>
&mdash; NowThis (@nowthisnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/nowthisnews/status/982436044044824577?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2018</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

His sisters would be so proud of the success he is having with the Mavs and would be grateful for the way he is speaking out in their memory.&nbsp;
&ldquo;They would love everything I am doing for the organization, and they would love me just being able to tell their stories and using my platform to talk about the LGBQT+ community and gun violence.
&ldquo;The platform that we have as athletes is important. A lot of people in the world know us, and it&rsquo;s important just being able to use this platform for the right causes, standing up for what you believe in and using your platform in the right way.&rdquo;
As he has found renewed success on the court with the Mavs this season, Bullock is now focusing and clearing his mind ahead of the playoffs. He&rsquo;s also calling for help from all the MFFL&rsquo;s while he&rsquo;s at it.
&ldquo;We need the city behind us, all the fans and all that fan support. We want to take care of business at home.&rdquo;
And while you&rsquo;re watching the game, watch for Bullock&rsquo;s trademark braids to look a tad bit different. &ldquo;I like vibrant colors, and they will be coming through in the playoffs.&rdquo;
The fans can hardly wait.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!

Don&rsquo;t get Reggie Bullock twisted.&nbsp;
His smile lights up a room. Same with his laugh. His humble spirit and friendly demeanor can catch you off guard. He jams out to Lil Durk prior to taking to the court.
And oh yeah, he rocks the NBA&rsquo;s toughest hairstyle.
But the 6-foot-6 veteran wingman is also a warrior. A fighter. A rough-rider. He&rsquo;s a versatile defender, able to guard just about anyone on the floor. Leave him wide-open if you want, but that three-ball is likely going in.
Like his sports hero, the late, great Kobe Bryant, Bullock thrives on competition. So much so that when asked what is the best part about competing, he didn&rsquo;t hesitate in his response: &ldquo;Stopping that motherf***er!&rdquo;
It&rsquo;s that tough mentality that has helped Bullock find his rhythm on the court, solidified his role within a surging Dallas Mavericks team and aided in a resurgence of his professional career.
Since joining the Mavs last offseason, the 31-year-old Bullock has become a key role player. He's also become a starter for a Mavs team that has exceeded expectations. He has averaged 12.9 points and shot 39% from three-point range. Meanwhile, the Mavs have put up 50-plus wins for the first time since 2015, finishing the season at 52-30 and landing at fourth place in the Western Conference. They&rsquo;ll have homecourt advantage for the first round of the playoffs, which begin Saturday against the Utah Jazz.&nbsp; &nbsp; Bullock&rsquo;s been an integral member of this Mavs team that zeroed in on players of his caliber when adding to the roster in the offseason.
&ldquo;We definitely wanted to improve shooting, and then also versatility,&rdquo; Mavs GM Nico Harrison said earlier in the season. &ldquo;We wanted players that can play and defend multiple positions.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Reggie Bullock hits the 3 to put the <a href="https://twitter.com/dallasmavs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dallasmavs</a> up 2! Watch Now: <a href="https://t.co/oz9UCQxdQa">https://t.co/oz9UCQxdQa</a> <a href="https://t.co/7BrKSH3zQX">pic.twitter.com/7BrKSH3zQX</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1489083489718882308?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Bullock and his teammates have wholeheartedly bought into incoming coach Jason Kidd&rsquo;s defense-first mindset. The team finished this season second in the NBA in fewest points allowed (104.7 points per game) and seventh in defensive rating (109.1). Last year, they finished 21st (112.3).
The chemistry Bullock provides, especially in the starting lineup, his reliability on both ends of the floor, his skilled ability to switch and his solid defense can&rsquo;t be ignored. In fact, defenders have to play him so close, a gust of wind can barely blow between them. His, &ldquo;I&rsquo;m about to shoot&rdquo; look and stance creates instant space for Luka Doncic and others to go straight into attack mode.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I hang my hat on my defense. I take it personal,&rdquo; he said earlier this year. &ldquo;If a player scores on me, I try to do something different on the next play. I'm a competitive player, and I try to do anything I can to help this team on the offensive and defensive end.&rdquo;
That said, Bullock struggled early in his Mavs tenure, which he equates with trying to find his rhythm and a sense of consistency with his shot.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I went back and looked at shots I&rsquo;ve been shooting since I've been in the league and shots that I shot over these past few seasons. It&rsquo;s the same shot. It&rsquo;s just all about not thinking about it and being confident when taking those shots.
&ldquo;My advice to myself is to see it before it goes in,&rdquo; he continued. &ldquo;Just believe that I&rsquo;m a great shooter and stay within my skillset.&rdquo; &nbsp; That advice seems to have paid off. Since January, he has found both his shot and the confidence to shoot it. This has resulted in success during several key games, including a record-setting one against the team they&rsquo;ll face Saturday, the Utah Jazz. &nbsp; In January, he came off the bench for one of his best games as a Maverick, scoring 23 points (including 6-of-8 from three-point range) en route to a 132-105 victory over the Indiana Pacers.&nbsp; &nbsp; In the Mavs&rsquo; 110-108 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 21, Bullock started after missing four games for personal reasons and finished with 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting (all from three-point range) and 7 rebounds. Six days later, in the Mavs&rsquo; 114-100 victory over the Jazz, Bullock hit a season-high 7 threes, tying his previous best in scoring with 23 points (8-of-12 from the field, 7-of-11 from three), 4 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal in 35 minutes of action. &nbsp;It was a performance that was right on time. &nbsp; &ldquo;Over the last two games, I was struggling from the three, but my team continued to give me confidence,&rdquo; Bullock said after that game. &ldquo;I believe I&rsquo;m one of the best shooters in the league when my feet are set and I get arch on it at the same time. I just have to keep that confidence.&rdquo;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Bullock&rsquo;s shooting confidence, as well as his playoff experience, will be heavily relied upon starting Saturday.&nbsp; &nbsp; In the 2021 NBA Playoffs for the New York Knicks, Bullock averaged playoff career-highs of 8.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 32.4 minutes in five first-round starts against the Atlanta Hawks. Given his performance of late, he&rsquo;ll likely put up better numbers than that, and the Mavs will gladly take it. &nbsp; Meanwhile, as he prepares for the playoffs, Bullock reflects on landing in Dallas, reviving his career and playing alongside &ldquo;one of the greatest players&rdquo; in&nbsp;Doncic.&nbsp; &nbsp; &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a great organization, great weather out here, the team is great," Bullock told BasketballNews.com in an exclusive interview. "It&rsquo;s a pass-first team, we&rsquo;re locked in on defense this year and we&rsquo;ve got a great coach&hellip; It&rsquo;s a great situation.&rdquo;
The success the Mavs are having comes as no surprise to him.
&ldquo;I expected this," he said. "This was my only reason for coming here, to be able to help make that next push for the team. We did well [in the regular season]. We just have to keep it going for the playoffs.&rdquo;
Sharing the court with Doncic, whom he used to guard on opposing teams, has helped Bullock's resurgence.
&ldquo;Luka is a great player, one of the best in the league," Bullock said. "You've always gotta keep your eyes on him, He&rsquo;ll score the ball or pass the ball. He&rsquo;ll tell you what you need to do better. He&rsquo;s a young player, but he&rsquo;s one of the greatest in the league.&rdquo;
Selected No. 25 overall by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2013 NBA Draft, Bullock has spent time with the Phoenix Suns, Detroit Pistons and Los Angeles Lakers, but playing for Dallas has been a great opportunity for him at this stage of his career.
&ldquo;For sure, coming [to Dallas] has been great in my resurgence as a player in this league,&rdquo; he said.
Off the court, Bullock uses his NBA platform to bring awareness to two issues that have affected him and his family deeply and personally: transgender awareness and gun violence.
On July 16, 2014, Bullock's sister Mia Henderson was found stabbed to death in an alley in West Baltimore. She was only 26 years old. Then, in October of 2019, his family experienced tragedy again when his younger sister, 22-year-old Keiosha, was shot and killed.
Since then, Bullock has been on a mission to keep their memories alive. He has done this by becoming a voice for the Black transgender community and getting involved with LGBTQ+ rights, as well as through efforts to fight gun violence.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
NBA star Reggie Bullock is using his platform to fight for transgender equality after his sister was murdered <a href="https://t.co/cU0sc7rgMM">pic.twitter.com/cU0sc7rgMM</a>
&mdash; NowThis (@nowthisnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/nowthisnews/status/982436044044824577?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2018</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

His sisters would be so proud of the success he is having with the Mavs and would be grateful for the way he is speaking out in their memory.&nbsp;
&ldquo;They would love everything I am doing for the organization, and they would love me just being able to tell their stories and using my platform to talk about the LGBQT+ community and gun violence," Bullock said.
&ldquo;The platform that we have as athletes is important. A lot of people in the world know us, and it&rsquo;s important just being able to use this platform for the right causes, standing up for what you believe in and using your platform in the right way.&rdquo;
As he has found renewed success on the court with the Mavs this season, Bullock is now focusing and clearing his mind ahead of the playoffs. He&rsquo;s also calling for help from all the MFFL&rsquo;s while he&rsquo;s at it.
&ldquo;We need the city behind us, all the fans and all that fan support. We want to take care of business at home.&rdquo;
And while you&rsquo;re watching the game, watch for Bullock&rsquo;s trademark braids to look a tad bit different. &ldquo;I like vibrant colors, and they will be coming through in the playoffs.&rdquo;
The fans can hardly wait.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!

Don&rsquo;t get Reggie Bullock twisted.&nbsp;
His smile lights up a room. Same with his laugh. His humble spirit and friendly demeanor can catch you off guard. He jams out to Lil Durk prior to taking to the court.
And oh yeah, he rocks the NBA&rsquo;s toughest hairstyle.
But the 6-foot-6 veteran wingman is also a warrior. A fighter. A rough-rider. He&rsquo;s a versatile defender, able to guard just about anyone on the floor. Leave him wide-open if you want, but that three-ball is likely going in.
Like his sports hero, the late, great Kobe Bryant, Bullock thrives on competition. So much so that when asked what is the best part about competing, he didn&rsquo;t hesitate in his response: &ldquo;Stopping that motherf***er!&rdquo;
It&rsquo;s that tough mentality that has helped Bullock find his rhythm on the court, solidified his role within a surging Dallas Mavericks team and aided in a resurgence of his professional career.
Since joining the Mavs last offseason, the 31-year-old Bullock has become a key role player. He's also become a starter for a Mavs team that has exceeded expectations. He has averaged 12.9 points and shot 39% from three-point range. Meanwhile, the Mavs have put up 50-plus wins for the first time since 2015, finishing the season at 52-30 and landing at fourth place in the Western Conference. They&rsquo;ll have homecourt advantage for the first round of the playoffs, which begin Saturday against the Utah Jazz.&nbsp; &nbsp; Bullock&rsquo;s been an integral member of this Mavs team that zeroed in on players of his caliber when adding to the roster in the offseason.
&ldquo;We definitely wanted to improve shooting, and then also versatility,&rdquo; Mavs GM Nico Harrison said earlier in the season. &ldquo;We wanted players that can play and defend multiple positions.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Reggie Bullock hits the 3 to put the <a href="https://twitter.com/dallasmavs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dallasmavs</a> up 2! Watch Now: <a href="https://t.co/oz9UCQxdQa">https://t.co/oz9UCQxdQa</a> <a href="https://t.co/7BrKSH3zQX">pic.twitter.com/7BrKSH3zQX</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1489083489718882308?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Bullock and his teammates have wholeheartedly bought into incoming coach Jason Kidd&rsquo;s defense-first mindset. The team finished this season second in the NBA in fewest points allowed (104.7 points per game) and seventh in defensive rating (109.1). Last year, they finished 21st (112.3).
The chemistry Bullock provides, especially in the starting lineup, his reliability on both ends of the floor, his skilled ability to switch and his solid defense can&rsquo;t be ignored. In fact, defenders have to play him so close, a gust of wind can barely blow between them. His, &ldquo;I&rsquo;m about to shoot&rdquo; look and stance creates instant space for Luka Doncic and others to go straight into attack mode.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I hang my hat on my defense. I take it personal,&rdquo; he said earlier this year. &ldquo;If a player scores on me, I try to do something different on the next play. I'm a competitive player, and I try to do anything I can to help this team on the offensive and defensive end.&rdquo;
That said, Bullock struggled early in his Mavs tenure, which he equates with trying to find his rhythm and a sense of consistency with his shot.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I went back and looked at shots I&rsquo;ve been shooting since I've been in the league and shots that I shot over these past few seasons. It&rsquo;s the same shot. It&rsquo;s just all about not thinking about it and being confident when taking those shots.
&ldquo;My advice to myself is to see it before it goes in,&rdquo; he continued. &ldquo;Just believe that I&rsquo;m a great shooter and stay within my skillset.&rdquo; &nbsp; That advice seems to have paid off. Since January, he has found both his shot and the confidence to shoot it. This has resulted in success during several key games, including a record-setting one against the team they&rsquo;ll face Saturday, the Utah Jazz. &nbsp; In January, he came off the bench for one of his best games as a Maverick, scoring 23 points (including 6-of-8 from three-point range) en route to a 132-105 victory over the Indiana Pacers.&nbsp; &nbsp; In the Mavs&rsquo; 110-108 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 21, Bullock started after missing four games for personal reasons and finished with 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting (all from three-point range) and 7 rebounds. Six days later, in the Mavs&rsquo; 114-100 victory over the Jazz, Bullock hit a season-high 7 threes, tying his previous best in scoring with 23 points (8-of-12 from the field, 7-of-11 from three), 4 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal in 35 minutes of action. &nbsp;It was a performance that was right on time. &nbsp; &ldquo;Over the last two games, I was struggling from the three, but my team continued to give me confidence,&rdquo; Bullock said after that game. &ldquo;I believe I&rsquo;m one of the best shooters in the league when my feet are set and I get arch on it at the same time. I just have to keep that confidence.&rdquo;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Bullock&rsquo;s shooting confidence, as well as his playoff experience, will be heavily relied upon starting Saturday.&nbsp; &nbsp; In the 2021 NBA Playoffs for the New York Knicks, Bullock averaged playoff career-highs of 8.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 32.4 minutes in five first-round starts against the Atlanta Hawks. Given his performance of late, he&rsquo;ll likely put up better numbers than that, and the Mavs will gladly take it. &nbsp; Meanwhile, as he prepares for the playoffs, Bullock reflects on landing in Dallas, reviving his career and playing alongside &ldquo;one of the greatest players&rdquo; in&nbsp;Doncic.&nbsp; &nbsp; &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a great organization, great weather out here, the team is great," Bullock told BasketballNews.com in an exclusive interview. "It&rsquo;s a pass-first team, we&rsquo;re locked in on defense this year and we&rsquo;ve got a great coach&hellip; It&rsquo;s a great situation.&rdquo;
The success the Mavs are having comes as no surprise to him.
&ldquo;I expected this," he said. "This was my only reason for coming here, to be able to help make that next push for the team. We did well [in the regular season]. We just have to keep it going for the playoffs.&rdquo;
Sharing the court with Doncic, whom he used to guard on opposing teams, has helped Bullock's resurgence.
&ldquo;Luka is a great player, one of the best in the league," Bullock said. "You've always gotta keep your eyes on him, He&rsquo;ll score the ball or pass the ball. He&rsquo;ll tell you what you need to do better. He&rsquo;s a young player, but he&rsquo;s one of the greatest in the league.&rdquo;
Selected No. 25 overall by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2013 NBA Draft, Bullock has spent time with the Phoenix Suns, Detroit Pistons and Los Angeles Lakers, but playing for Dallas has been a great opportunity for him at this stage of his career.
&ldquo;For sure, coming [to Dallas] has been great in my resurgence as a player in this league,&rdquo; he said.
Off the court, Bullock uses his NBA platform to bring awareness to two issues that have affected him and his family deeply and personally: transgender awareness and gun violence.
On July 16, 2014, Bullock's sister Mia Henderson was found stabbed to death in an alley in West Baltimore. She was only 26 years old. Then, in October of 2019, his family experienced tragedy again when his younger sister, 22-year-old Keiosha, was shot and killed.
Since then, Bullock has been on a mission to keep their memories alive. He has done this by becoming a voice for the Black transgender community and getting involved with LGBTQ+ rights, as well as through efforts to fight gun violence.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
NBA star Reggie Bullock is using his platform to fight for transgender equality after his sister was murdered <a href="https://t.co/cU0sc7rgMM">pic.twitter.com/cU0sc7rgMM</a>
&mdash; NowThis (@nowthisnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/nowthisnews/status/982436044044824577?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2018</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

His sisters would be so proud of the success he is having with the Mavs and would be grateful for the way he is speaking out in their memory.&nbsp;
&ldquo;They would love everything I am doing for the organization, and they would love me just being able to tell their stories and using my platform to talk about the LGBQT+ community and gun violence," Bullock said.
&ldquo;The platform that we have as athletes is important. A lot of people in the world know us, and it&rsquo;s important just being able to use this platform for the right causes, standing up for what you believe in and using your platform in the right way.&rdquo;
As he has found renewed success on the court with the Mavs, Bullock is now focusing and clearing his mind ahead of the playoffs. He&rsquo;s also calling for help from all the MFFL&rsquo;s while he&rsquo;s at it.
&ldquo;We need the city behind us, all the fans and all that fan support. We want to take care of business at home.&rdquo;
And while you&rsquo;re watching the game, watch for Bullock&rsquo;s trademark braids to look a tad bit different. &ldquo;I like vibrant colors, and they will be coming through in the playoffs.&rdquo;
The fans can hardly wait.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!

Don&rsquo;t get Reggie Bullock twisted.&nbsp;
His smile lights up a room. Same with his laugh. His humble spirit and friendly demeanor can catch you off guard. He jams out to Lil Durk prior to taking to the court.
And oh yeah, he rocks the NBA&rsquo;s toughest hairstyle.
But the 6-foot-6 veteran wingman is also a warrior. A fighter. A rough-rider. He&rsquo;s a versatile defender, able to guard just about anyone on the floor. Leave him wide-open if you want, but that three-ball is likely going in.
Like his sports hero, the late, great Kobe Bryant, Bullock thrives on competition. So much so that when asked what is the best part about competing, he didn&rsquo;t hesitate in his response: &ldquo;Stopping that motherf***er!&rdquo;
It&rsquo;s that tough mentality that has helped Bullock find his rhythm on the court, solidified his role within a surging Dallas Mavericks team and aided in a resurgence of his professional career.
Since joining the Mavs last offseason, the 31-year-old Bullock has become a key role player. He's also become a starter for a Mavs team that has exceeded expectations. He has averaged 12.9 points and shot 39% from three-point range. Meanwhile, the Mavs have put up 50-plus wins for the first time since 2015, finishing the season at 52-30 and landing at fourth place in the Western Conference. They&rsquo;ll have homecourt advantage for the first round of the playoffs, which begin Saturday against the Utah Jazz.&nbsp; &nbsp; Bullock&rsquo;s been an integral member of this Mavs team that zeroed in on players of his caliber when adding to the roster in the offseason.
&ldquo;We definitely wanted to improve shooting, and then also versatility,&rdquo; Mavs GM Nico Harrison said earlier in the season. &ldquo;We wanted players that can play and defend multiple positions.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Reggie Bullock hits the 3 to put the <a href="https://twitter.com/dallasmavs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dallasmavs</a> up 2! Watch Now: <a href="https://t.co/oz9UCQxdQa">https://t.co/oz9UCQxdQa</a> <a href="https://t.co/7BrKSH3zQX">pic.twitter.com/7BrKSH3zQX</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1489083489718882308?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Bullock and his teammates have wholeheartedly bought into incoming coach Jason Kidd&rsquo;s defense-first mindset. The team finished this season second in the NBA in fewest points allowed (104.7 points per game) and seventh in defensive rating (109.1). Last year, they finished 21st (112.3).
The chemistry Bullock provides, especially in the starting lineup, his reliability on both ends of the floor, his skilled ability to switch and his solid defense can&rsquo;t be ignored. In fact, defenders have to play him so close, a gust of wind can barely blow between them. His, &ldquo;I&rsquo;m about to shoot&rdquo; look and stance creates instant space for Luka Doncic and others to go straight into attack mode.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I hang my hat on my defense. I take it personal,&rdquo; he said earlier this year. &ldquo;If a player scores on me, I try to do something different on the next play. I'm a competitive player, and I try to do anything I can to help this team on the offensive and defensive end.&rdquo;
That said, Bullock struggled early in his Mavs tenure, which he equates with trying to find his rhythm and a sense of consistency with his shot.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I went back and looked at shots I&rsquo;ve been shooting since I've been in the league and shots that I shot over these past few seasons. It&rsquo;s the same shot. It&rsquo;s just all about not thinking about it and being confident when taking those shots.
&ldquo;My advice to myself is to see it before it goes in,&rdquo; he continued. &ldquo;Just believe that I&rsquo;m a great shooter and stay within my skillset.&rdquo; &nbsp; That advice seems to have paid off. Since January, he has found both his shot and the confidence to shoot it. This has resulted in success during several key games, including a record-setting one against the team they&rsquo;ll face Saturday, the Utah Jazz. &nbsp; In January, he came off the bench for one of his best games as a Maverick, scoring 23 points (including 6-of-8 from three-point range) en route to a 132-105 victory over the Indiana Pacers.&nbsp; &nbsp; In the Mavs&rsquo; 110-108 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 21, Bullock started after missing four games for personal reasons and finished with 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting (all from three-point range) and 7 rebounds. Six days later, in the Mavs&rsquo; 114-100 victory over the Jazz, Bullock hit a season-high 7 threes, tying his previous best in scoring with 23 points (8-of-12 from the field, 7-of-11 from three), 4 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal in 35 minutes of action. &nbsp;It was a performance that was right on time. &nbsp; &ldquo;Over the last two games, I was struggling from the three, but my team continued to give me confidence,&rdquo; Bullock said after that game. &ldquo;I believe I&rsquo;m one of the best shooters in the league when my feet are set and I get arch on it at the same time. I just have to keep that confidence.&rdquo;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Bullock&rsquo;s shooting confidence, as well as his playoff experience, will be heavily relied upon starting Saturday.&nbsp; &nbsp; In the 2021 NBA Playoffs for the New York Knicks, Bullock averaged playoff career-highs of 8.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 32.4 minutes in five first-round starts against the Atlanta Hawks. Given his performance of late, he&rsquo;ll likely put up better numbers than that, and the Mavs will gladly take it. &nbsp; Meanwhile, as he prepares for the playoffs, Bullock reflects on landing in Dallas, reviving his career and playing alongside &ldquo;one of the greatest players&rdquo; in&nbsp;Doncic.&nbsp; &nbsp; &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a great organization, great weather out here, the team is great," Bullock told BasketballNews.com in an exclusive interview. "It&rsquo;s a pass-first team, we&rsquo;re locked in on defense this year and we&rsquo;ve got a great coach&hellip; It&rsquo;s a great situation.&rdquo;
The success the Mavs are having comes as no surprise to him.
&ldquo;I expected this," he said. "This was my only reason for coming here, to be able to help make that next push for the team. We did well [in the regular season]. We just have to keep it going for the playoffs.&rdquo;
Sharing the court with Doncic, whom he used to guard on opposing teams, has helped Bullock's resurgence.
&ldquo;Luka is a great player, one of the best in the league," Bullock said. "You've always gotta keep your eyes on him, He&rsquo;ll score the ball or pass the ball. He&rsquo;ll tell you what you need to do better. He&rsquo;s a young player, but he&rsquo;s one of the greatest in the league.&rdquo;
Selected No. 25 overall by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2013 NBA Draft, Bullock has spent time with the Phoenix Suns, Detroit Pistons and Los Angeles Lakers, but playing for Dallas has been a great opportunity for him at this stage of his career.
&ldquo;For sure, coming [to Dallas] has been great in my resurgence as a player in this league,&rdquo; he said.
Off the court, Bullock uses his NBA platform to bring awareness to two issues that have affected him and his family deeply and personally: transgender awareness and gun violence.
On July 16, 2014, Bullock's sister Mia Henderson was found stabbed to death in an alley in West Baltimore. She was only 26 years old. Then, in October of 2019, his family experienced tragedy again when his younger sister, 22-year-old Keiosha, was shot and killed.
Since then, Bullock has been on a mission to keep their memories alive. He has done this by becoming a voice for the Black transgender community and getting involved with LGBTQ+ rights, as well as through efforts to fight gun violence.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
NBA star Reggie Bullock is using his platform to fight for transgender equality after his sister was murdered <a href="https://t.co/cU0sc7rgMM">pic.twitter.com/cU0sc7rgMM</a>
&mdash; NowThis (@nowthisnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/nowthisnews/status/982436044044824577?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2018</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

His sisters would be so proud of the success he is having with the Mavs and would be grateful for the way he is speaking out in their memory.&nbsp;
&ldquo;They would love everything I am doing for the organization, and they would love me just being able to tell their stories and using my platform to talk about the LGBQT+ community and gun violence," Bullock said.
&ldquo;The platform that we have as athletes is important. A lot of people in the world know us, and it&rsquo;s important just being able to use this platform for the right causes, standing up for what you believe in and using your platform in the right way.&rdquo;
As he has found renewed success on the court with the Mavs, Bullock is now focusing and clearing his mind ahead of the playoffs. He&rsquo;s also calling for help from all the MFFL&rsquo;s while he&rsquo;s at it.
&ldquo;We need the city behind us, all the fans and all that fan support," he said. "We want to take care of business at home.&rdquo;
And while you&rsquo;re watching the game, watch for Bullock&rsquo;s trademark braids to look a tad bit different. &ldquo;I like vibrant colors, and they will be coming through in the playoffs.&rdquo;
The fans can hardly wait.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!

Don&rsquo;t get Reggie Bullock twisted.&nbsp;
His smile lights up a room. Same with his laugh. His humble spirit and friendly demeanor can catch you off guard. He jams out to Lil Durk prior to taking to the court.
And oh yeah, he rocks the NBA&rsquo;s toughest hairstyle.
But the 6-foot-6 veteran wingman is also a warrior. A fighter. A rough-rider. He&rsquo;s a versatile defender, able to guard just about anyone on the floor. Leave him wide-open if you want, but that three-ball is likely going in.
Like his sports hero, the late, great Kobe Bryant, Bullock thrives on competition. So much so that when asked what is the best part about competing, he didn&rsquo;t hesitate in his response: &ldquo;Stopping that motherf***er!&rdquo;
It&rsquo;s that tough mentality that has helped Bullock find his rhythm on the court, solidified his role within a surging Dallas Mavericks team and aided in a resurgence of his professional career.
Since joining the Mavs last offseason, the 31-year-old Bullock has become a key role player. He's also become a starter for a Mavs team that has exceeded expectations. He has averaged 12.9 points and shot 39% from three-point range. Meanwhile, the Mavs have put up 50-plus wins for the first time since 2015, finishing the season at 52-30 and landing at fourth place in the Western Conference. They&rsquo;ll have homecourt advantage for the first round of the playoffs, which begin Saturday against the Utah Jazz.&nbsp; &nbsp; Bullock&rsquo;s been an integral member of this Mavs team that zeroed in on players of his caliber when adding to the roster in the offseason.
&ldquo;We definitely wanted to improve shooting, and then also versatility,&rdquo; Mavs GM Nico Harrison said earlier in the season. &ldquo;We wanted players that can play and defend multiple positions.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Reggie Bullock hits the 3 to put the <a href="https://twitter.com/dallasmavs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dallasmavs</a> up 2! Watch Now: <a href="https://t.co/oz9UCQxdQa">https://t.co/oz9UCQxdQa</a> <a href="https://t.co/7BrKSH3zQX">pic.twitter.com/7BrKSH3zQX</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1489083489718882308?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Bullock and his teammates have wholeheartedly bought into incoming coach Jason Kidd&rsquo;s defense-first mindset. The team finished this season second in the NBA in fewest points allowed (104.7 points per game) and seventh in defensive rating (109.1). Last year, they finished 21st (112.3).
The chemistry Bullock provides, especially in the starting lineup, his reliability on both ends of the floor, his skilled ability to switch and his solid defense can&rsquo;t be ignored. In fact, defenders have to play him so close, a gust of wind can barely blow between them. His, &ldquo;I&rsquo;m about to shoot&rdquo; look and stance creates instant space for Luka Doncic and others to go straight into attack mode.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I hang my hat on my defense. I take it personal,&rdquo; he said earlier this year. &ldquo;If a player scores on me, I try to do something different on the next play. I'm a competitive player, and I try to do anything I can to help this team on the offensive and defensive end.&rdquo;
That said, Bullock struggled early in his Mavs tenure, which he equates with trying to find his rhythm and a sense of consistency with his shot.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I went back and looked at shots I&rsquo;ve been shooting since I've been in the league and shots that I shot over these past few seasons. It&rsquo;s the same shot. It&rsquo;s just all about not thinking about it and being confident when taking those shots.
&ldquo;My advice to myself is to see it before it goes in,&rdquo; he continued. &ldquo;Just believe that I&rsquo;m a great shooter and stay within my skillset.&rdquo; &nbsp; That advice seems to have paid off. Since January, he has found both his shot and the confidence to shoot it. This has resulted in success during several key games, including a record-setting one against the team they&rsquo;ll face Saturday, the Utah Jazz. &nbsp; In January, he came off the bench for one of his best games as a Maverick, scoring 23 points (including 6-of-8 from three-point range) en route to a 132-105 victory over the Indiana Pacers.&nbsp; &nbsp; In the Mavs&rsquo; 110-108 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 21, Bullock started after missing four games for personal reasons and finished with 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting (all from three-point range) and 7 rebounds. Six days later, in the Mavs&rsquo; 114-100 victory over the Jazz, Bullock hit a season-high 7 threes, tying his previous best in scoring with 23 points (8-of-12 from the field, 7-of-11 from three), 4 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal in 35 minutes of action. &nbsp;It was a performance that was right on time. &nbsp; &ldquo;Over the last two games, I was struggling from the three, but my team continued to give me confidence,&rdquo; Bullock said after that game. &ldquo;I believe I&rsquo;m one of the best shooters in the league when my feet are set and I get arch on it at the same time. I just have to keep that confidence.&rdquo;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Bullock&rsquo;s shooting confidence, as well as his playoff experience, will be heavily relied upon starting Saturday.&nbsp; &nbsp; In the 2021 NBA Playoffs for the New York Knicks, Bullock averaged playoff career-highs of 8.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 32.4 minutes in five first-round starts against the Atlanta Hawks. Given his performance of late, he&rsquo;ll likely put up better numbers than that, and the Mavs will gladly take it. &nbsp; Meanwhile, as he prepares for the playoffs, Bullock reflects on landing in Dallas, reviving his career and playing alongside &ldquo;one of the greatest players&rdquo; in&nbsp;Doncic.&nbsp; &nbsp; &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a great organization, great weather out here, the team is great," Bullock told BasketballNews.com in an exclusive interview. "It&rsquo;s a pass-first team, we&rsquo;re locked in on defense this year and we&rsquo;ve got a great coach&hellip; It&rsquo;s a great situation.&rdquo;
The success the Mavs are having comes as no surprise to him.
&ldquo;I expected this," he said. "This was my only reason for coming here, to be able to help make that next push for the team. We did well [in the regular season]. We just have to keep it going for the playoffs.&rdquo;
Sharing the court with Doncic, whom he used to guard on opposing teams, has helped Bullock's resurgence.
&ldquo;Luka is a great player, one of the best in the league," Bullock said. "You've always gotta keep your eyes on him, He&rsquo;ll score the ball or pass the ball. He&rsquo;ll tell you what you need to do better. He&rsquo;s a young player, but he&rsquo;s one of the greatest in the league.&rdquo;
Selected No. 25 overall by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2013 NBA Draft, Bullock has spent time with the Phoenix Suns, Detroit Pistons and Los Angeles Lakers, but playing for Dallas has been a great opportunity for him at this stage of his career.
&ldquo;For sure, coming [to Dallas] has been great in my resurgence as a player in this league,&rdquo; he said.
Off the court, Bullock uses his NBA platform to bring awareness to two issues that have affected him and his family deeply and personally: transgender awareness and gun violence.
On July 16, 2014, Bullock's sister Mia Henderson was found stabbed to death in an alley in West Baltimore. She was only 26 years old. Then, in October of 2019, his family experienced tragedy again when his younger sister, 22-year-old Keiosha, was shot and killed.
Since then, Bullock has been on a mission to keep their memories alive. He has done this by becoming a voice for the Black transgender community and getting involved with LGBTQ+ rights, as well as through efforts to fight gun violence.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
NBA star Reggie Bullock is using his platform to fight for transgender equality after his sister was murdered <a href="https://t.co/cU0sc7rgMM">pic.twitter.com/cU0sc7rgMM</a>
&mdash; NowThis (@nowthisnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/nowthisnews/status/982436044044824577?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2018</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

His sisters would be so proud of the success he is having with the Mavs and would be grateful for the way he is speaking out in their memory.&nbsp;
&ldquo;They would love everything I am doing for the organization, and they would love me just being able to tell their stories and using my platform to talk about the LGBQT+ community and gun violence," Bullock said.
&ldquo;The platform that we have as athletes is important. A lot of people in the world know us, and it&rsquo;s important just being able to use this platform for the right causes, standing up for what you believe in and using your platform in the right way.&rdquo;
As he has found renewed success on the court with the Mavs, Bullock is now focusing and clearing his mind ahead of the playoffs. He&rsquo;s also calling for help from all the MFFL&rsquo;s while he&rsquo;s at it.
&ldquo;We need the city behind us, all the fans and all that fan support," he said. "We want to take care of business at home.&rdquo;
And while you&rsquo;re watching the game, watch for Bullock&rsquo;s trademark braids to look a tad bit different: &ldquo;I like vibrant colors, and they will be coming through in the playoffs.&rdquo;
The fans can hardly wait.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!

Dallas' Reggie Bullock has seen a career resurgence for the Mavericks this year, and it should continue in the playoffs.

Reggie Bullock hopes to take career resurgence into NBA Playoffs

Dorothy is a seasoned journalist with more than 25 years in the business. She is currently a freelance writer and educator based in Dallas. She's covered the WNBA, NBA, G League and other professional sports leagues for several years. In addition, Dorothy is a member of NABJ and the NABJ Sports Task Force and is a proud Journalism graduate of the University of North Texas.