Here are three observations from the Warriors 104-95 loss to the Indiana Pacers.
Kelly Oubre Finally Has His Break Out Game
There’s no doubt that Kelly Oubre has struggled offensively through the first 9 games of the season. He is averaging career lows in field goal percentage (35.3%), 3PT percentage (17.2%), and player efficiency rating (7.91). But last night against the Pacers, it appears he might’ve found his niche within the offense. He wasn’t settling for step back three pointers. He wasn’t driving through double teams in the paint. But most importantly, he played within the flow of the game, and it led to his most productive game in a Warrior uniform. Oubre ended the game with 17 points on 6/11 shooting, while also converting 3/7 from beyond the arc.
Role Players Step Up Once Again
I don’t know if you noticed it or not, but Stephen Curry’s first field goal attempt didn’t come until the 4:03 mark in the first quarter. By that time, Kelly Oubre already had 7 points, Draymond Green was orchestrating the offense, and the Warriors had built a 18-9 lead. One of the biggest questions surrounding the Warriors was whether or not they could compete when Steph doesn’t have his superman cape on. In this game, Wiggins, Oubre, Wiseman, and Green proved they can collectively contribute when needed.
Don’t Enter Andrew Wiggin’s Paint
Andrew Wiggins was accumulating blocks left and right against the Pacers on Tuesday night. He ended the game with 5 blocks, and was creating a world of havoc for Malcolm Brogdon, who was on the receiving end of two of them.
As you can see above, Wiggins was very impressive on the defensive side of the ball last night. In the first clip, he locates the screen, fights through it, and uses his length and athleticism to complete the tough closeout. Wiggins has been tremendous defensively all season. He leads the team in blocks this season (1.8) and has proven he can guard the league’s toughest assignments when he puts his energy into it. If Wiggins continues to play like this defensively, he could find himself in the running for DPOY.
Warriors Splash Zone 