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USA Today via Reuters

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USA Today via Reuters

The Golden State Warriors are facing the danger of losing their sheen early. They are coming off a terrible year, and the present-day situation does not appear any better. Stephen Curry is leading from the front, but there is only so much he can do.

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The absence of Klay Thompson and now Draymond Green has exposed them. They make for a decent side, but nothing of the level that can beat the likes of star-studded Brooklyn Nets or defense-loaded Milwaukee Bucks.

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The main reason for the Warriors‘ slump is due to the fact that a couple of members from their starting-five are unable to live up to the expectations.

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USA Today via Reuters

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Kelly Oubre Jr. is having a hard time performing

The Tsunami Papi has now played two games for GSW, but he struggled to perform in both fixtures and his numbers serve as evidence. He scored 6 points (26 minutes) against the Nets and only 3 points (20 minutes) against the Bucks.

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The more concerning area in his game is the lack of accuracy from behind the arc. Oubre is now 0-11 from downtown this season, and that’s the worst ratio the league has ever witnessed from a player’s initial two games. 

The 25-YO has been a starter for the Warriors so far. In his five-year career prior to this, the small forward had only opened in 99/348 games. However, he is coming off a season with the Suns where he was trusted in the starting lineup alongside Devin Booker and others in 55/56 games. But as of now, the Louisiana native has enjoyed no luck with his new team.

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What are Warriors’ expectations from Kelly?

The 6’7” forward is viewed as a complete all-around player in the league. Oubre is coming off a career-best season with an average of 18+ ppg and can adapt to different roles on the court. His catch-and-shoot ability is also good, but nothing seems to be working for him in this season.

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The franchise acquired Kelly Oubre from the Oklahoma City Thunder after the very unfortunate news of Klay’s injury popped. They gave away a conditional 2021 1st round pick and a 2021 second-round pick (via Denver) to complete the acquisition. It is clear that the franchise wants him to stay consistent in the starting-five and produce better offensive results. 

Although Oubre has shown some worth in the defense, his shooting prowess is a major concern. His field goal accuracy in the first two games is also very poor as the forward holds a dismal 4-24 record.

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Now with all that being said, it is still too early to make a judgment and one can only hope that he gets better in the coming days.

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Sourabh Singh

1,743 Articles

Sourabh Singh is the Editor-in-Chief at EssentiallySports. A Sports Management diploma holder, Sourabh began his media career in 2015 at a fast-growing startup. He started out as a sports writer covering the NBA, UFC, Tennis, and the off-field lives of American athletes, before transitioning into a Managing Editor role. Thereafter, Sourabh joined ES in 2020, marking an end to a brief stint at Decathlon. Since then, he has led the editorial team with a sharp focus on journalistic integrity, accuracy, and mentorship. Under his leadership, the team has grown into a dynamic newsroom that consistently delivers trusted sports coverage to millions of satisfied readers.

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