Nets trying to save Dorian Finney-Smith from himself after ankle sprain turned into calf injury

MILWAUKEE — Dorian Finney-Smith’s left calf contusion is directly related to his earlier sprained ankle, an injury he admitted he made worse by pushing through it.That’s why the Nets are protecting their forward from himself, sitting him for a third straight game in Thursday’s 111-105 win in Milwaukee.“Yeah, nothing happened.It was discomfort, and obviously, we’re not going to force it,” head coach Jordi Fernandez said.

“We want him to be 200 percent, and he was disappointed because he was so excited to play.And he really wants to help the guys.

And he still does it, like you said, with his voice.I’m pretty sure he’ll do his best.

But again, we’ll assess [Friday], and we’ll see where he’s at.”The Nets host the Spurs Friday at Barclays Center.“I’ve been trying to get out there, but I’ve been playing through injuries, kind of messing it up, making it worse a little bit.But I’ll be all right,” said Finney-Smith, who’d initially proclaimed himself fit to play following morning shootaround.“Same ankle, which kind of ran up my calf, changed the way I ran.

You know your body adjusts to pain, so I started running a little different.So it started causing me to irritate my calf.

I’ll be all right.I’ve just got to be smarter, listen to my body sometime.

… Anybody that plays in the NBA, ankle problems last for a long time, and they always seem like you’re going to keep re-twisting the same ankle because it’s weak.But no, I don’t think it’s that serious, though.

But it’s a long season.”The initial ankle injury cost Finney-Smith back-to-back games in mid-November, then after returning, forced him to miss six of seven.“I just want him to be excited to play, which he’s always excited to play.He’s a vet.

He’s a pro,” Fernandez said.“But also I want him 200 percent, otherwise he’ll give it to you.

And sometimes you’ve got to save him from himself.It’s good to have him on the court, and obviously, ...