Washington Wizards: 3 takeaways from 2017-18 season opener

3. Kelly Oubre Jr. could find himself starting soon

The Washington Wizards fielded a starting lineup of John Wall, Bradley Beal, Otto Porter, Jason Smith and Marcin Gortat in their season opener. Smith started in place of Markieff Morris as he continues to recover from sports hernia surgery.

The newest problem: Smith played in just seven minutes before leaving the game early with a sprained right shoulder. The 10-year power forward’s status is unclear for Friday, which opens the door for more playing time for third-year forward Kelly Oubre Jr.

Oubre Jr. had a solid outing in the Wizards’ season-opening victory, putting up 14 points, eight rebounds, two blocks, two steals and two assists in 32 minutes of playing time. He had a strong performance, which culminated with a huge put-back dunk in the second half.

Oubre Jr. was a force for the Washington Wizards all game long and certainly pushed the envelope to get some starter minutes with Smith on the mend.

The Wizards got optimal minutes from Oubre Jr. as he went 3-of-6 from 3-point range and was solid on the defensive end. If Smith is unable to go this Friday against the Detroit Pistons on Friday, look for Oubre Jr. to fill the void.