When Kelly Oubre Jr. went down on Nov. 14 with a sprained LCL, he was playing some of the best basketball of his career. The 16.8 points per game and 34.3% three-point percentage weren’t career-highs,
but he was doing so playing complementary basketball next to stars while taking top defensive assignments.
After missing over a month and a half of time, he had some re-acclimating to do as he returned. In his time away, Dominick Barlow had taken the fifth and final starting spot and ran with it. Easing Oubre back into action, he didn’t play more than 20 minutes in his first game back. As his minutes have gone up, Oubre has felt better and better each game, and the scoring has started to come with that as well.
After putting up 12 off the bench in a loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers last week, Oubre got his first start since returning in place of an injured Paul George. Not only did he have his best night since returning in a winning effort, dropping 18 points, but head coach Nick Nurse cited his aggression going right at Pacers forward Johnny Furphy as plays that set the tone for the night.
“That was the big thing — he got downhill like two or three times to start the game,” Nurse said. “I think that’s a good sign for him.”
Oubre found something out about Furphy when starting lineups were being introduced, something that might have given him an extra edge.
“I will say this, this has nothing to do with it, but I did find out that he went to Kansas right before we got called out for starting lineups,” Oubre said. “It still is fun going up against another Jayhawk.”
He won’t be going up against a KU product every night, but that aggression attacking the basket is not only important to Oubre’s game, but it’s a sign to himself that he is feeling his legs under him again.
“I told you guys last time I was talking to you that I just gotta get back to myself of putting the ball down and driving and getting more physical,” Oubre said after the Indiana game.
He was referencing what he said after that Cavaliers loss though, and that the next step for him as he progresses is to “go dunk on somebody.”
Despite those desires, the way Oubre has eased his way back into more shots and more minutes has impressed both his coach and teammates.
“I think it was his best overall game. Forget the scoring, even though it was always needed and nice, but it just felt like he looked a lot more comfortable on both ends,” Nurse said.
Tyrese Maxey, who set a career-high himself with eight steals against the Pacers, also noted the disruption Oubre caused.
“He just lets the game come to him, and impacted the game on both ends of the floor,” Maxey said. “Like tonight he was just disruptive, got a couple steals, or a couple deflections that got us out in transition.”
That’s the approach Oubre’s taken to whether he gets back in the starting lineup as well. While he believes he has the talent to start in this league, his focus on winning seems to be taking precedent.
“I’m gonna go out there and be the best version of myself for this team and allow the chips to fall where they may,” Oubre said. “I just got to continue to go out there and be a good piece to a winning team.”
