After being such a high-priced addition to the Warriors' roster this season, expectations were high for Kelly Oubre Jr. in his first season in the Bay Area.
But after a slow offensive start that includes a woeful 1-for-25 shooting from 3-point range, Oubre has been the most focused-on piece of the Warriors' 2-3 start to the season, which has included three blowout losses. Draymond Green doesn't want to see his teammate take his foot off the gas, and has been encouraging Oubre to keep doing what he has been doing.
"I hope he's pressing, you have a certain standard that you want to play at, and when you don't meet that standard, you should be pressing," Green told reporters after practice Saturday. "First thing everyone says, 'don't press.' Well, you find me a guy that isn't playing up to the level he wants to be playing, and isn't pressing, keep him the f--k away from me.
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"If you not pressing, that means you don't care. So, he's definitely pressing, as he should be. You have to find that balance in pressing and not overpressing, but you better be pressing if you're not playing up to the level you want to be playing at."
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Green got his first action of the 2020-21 season in the Warriors' home opener Friday, finally getting a chance to be an on-court leader with a roster full of new faces.
Oubre's historically bad shooting start has been well-documented, but the small forward is averaging 6.4 rebounds, 1.6 steals and one block per game this season. He wasn't expected to be able to replicate Klay Thompson's sharpshooting in the starting lineup, but Oubre is a versatile player and very willing and engaged defender.
Golden State Warriors
The Warriors will need more from both Oubre and Andrew Wiggins on offense, but as Draymond emphasized, the two shouldn't get complacent or try and shake things up too much.