Warriors’ Kelly Oubre Jr. will miss play-in tourney, start of playoffs
The Golden State Warriors, like most other teams, have battled many injuries this season. From star rookie Jamies Wiseman missing the season to Stephen Curry‘s midseason tailbone injury, Golden State has been roughed by key players missing time.
Kelly Oubre Jr., who is the team’s third-leading scorer, missed the last ten games of the season, and he’ll also miss the team’s play-in tournament.
25-year-old shooting guard Kelly Oubre Jr. will miss the play-in tournament for the Golden State Warriors. If they advance, he’ll also likely miss the first round.
Golden State will take on Los Angeles for a chance to take on the Suns. If the Warriors lose, they’ll take on the winner of the Spurs and Grizzlies in a game that will decide who the Utah Jazz face in the first round.
Oubre Jr. tore a ligament in his write and also sustained a fracture in his palm.
He tried to play through it which resulted in him coming off the bench for five games after missing five games. However, either he’s not able to play through the pain, could make the injury worse or just needs the time to heal before returning to the court.
"“Kelly Oubre Jr., who missed the last 9 games due to a small avulsion fracture and ligament tear in his left wrist, was recently re-evaluated. This indicated that the injury is healing appropriately. He has not yet been cleared to return and will be re-evaluated in 7-10 days,” a tweet by the official team account said."
Oubre Jr. has been a staple of this Warriors roster on both sides of the court. They’ve been able to succeed without him simply because of how great Stephen Curry has been. Make no mistake though: the Warriors are better with Kelly Oubre Jr. available.
The energy he brings on both sides of the court is oftentimes unmatched. The athleticism he has is also a huge plus for the Warriors defensively. Oubre Jr. was able to lock down opposing backcourts, and his tenacity will be missed.
Being re-evaluated in ten days from May 16 would put new Oubre Jr. news coming out at least by May 26. While that doesn’t guarantee a return, it should give fans a better timeline if they’ll see the young star suit up again.
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Oubre Jr. averaged 15.4 points per game during the regular season. His return would be huge for the Warriors, who will eventually need more playmaking to keep their title hopes alive.