Looney delivers vintage performance in Warriors win over Celtics originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
BOSTON – When all is said and done, the legends of the Warriors will be forever remembered in Chase Center. There will be jerseys raised to the rooftops and statues cemented for all to love.
Steph Curry will of course be front and center. Klay Thompson and Draymond Green will be by his side. Kevin Durant will be honored, as will coach Steve Kerr. Andre Iguodala and others also have strong arguments.
The term “star” or even “superstar” has become an oversaturated nickname in all sports, including the NBA. But the Warriors during the dynasty had stars, and superstars alike. During their most recent title run, cult hero appeared in Kevon Looney.
Social media won’t be filled with Looney dunk highlights or he’ll step back and catch fire from deep. His heart often exceeds his stats. But in the 2022 playoffs, Looney’s monster rebounding performances had fans, teammates and coaches asking for an encore.
Back in Boston for a battle between two of the NBA’s best teams this season, Looney’s performance at TD Garden in the The 118-112 victory of warriors Wednesday night against the Celtics reminded many of his play three seasons ago, when the dedicated center celebrated suiting up for yet another championship.
“Very reminiscent of every big moment he’s been a part of to help us win at the highest level,” Curry said after the win. “That whole 22nd playoff run, and the last two years were times where he made huge contributions.
“I’m so happy for him that he’s getting rewarded for the work he did in the offseason to get his body right. He moves well and is able to still be physical. And he’s just super smart. He knows where to be at all times and plays positional basketball.”
Coming off the bench for the eighth straight game to start the season, Looney asserted himself early with three offensive rebounds in the first quarter. Where the veteran’s reliability, now in his 10th NBA season – all while with the Warriors – was most relevant, came in the fourth quarter to thwart the Celtics’ second-half comeback.
Looney played seven minutes and 38 seconds of the fourth quarter and was a plus-10 as the Warriors outscored the Celtics by five points in the final frame for their biggest win yet. He scored six points on perfect 3-of-3 shooting, and as always, his biggest presence was felt on the glass hauling in four rebounds with three being on offense.
In a 42-second stretch from the 1:50 mark of the fourth quarter when the Warriors were up by two, through the 1:08 mark when their lead was at four, Looney was everywhere, making one clutch contribution after another. .
First came Looney perfectly reading a Draymond Green airballed 3-point attempt that missed. As the ball was in flight, Looney passed Jrue Holiday and snagged the ball away from 7-footer Neemias Queta, immediately putting it back up with his left hand for two huge points.
On the Warriors’ next offensive possession, Looney followed Curry going to the basket, caught his missed layup attempt and in a heartbeat was there again for two points to extend the Warriors’ lead to four points before then countering a Jayson Tatum jumper on the other . side
Since coming to the Warriors exactly four months ago, Buddy Hield has learned what everyone around Looney has witnessed over the last decade.
“He’s so unselfish,” Hield said. “Big men want to score, they want to put the ball in the basket, and he doesn’t argue when guards take his rebounds. He’s just the ultimate teammate, man. You love to play with him. He sets screens, he rolls … he’s just a guy you need and he’s always on time.”
As a staunch Looney defender since the Warriors drafted him, Kerr called his two rebounds “maybe the two biggest shots of the game.”
“I thought his minutes were just massive down the stretch,” he continued.
Throughout the offseason, the talk surrounding Looney after the Warriors guaranteed his contract was about him possibly extending his game to the 3-point line, as well as him shedding more than 15 pounds from last season. So far he has yet to attempt a three, but the more mobile version of himself is still a rebounding machine.
Looney has 10 rebounds in two straight games and has reached double figures in half of the Warriors’ games. Despite his minutes dropping to 16.2 per game, his rebounds rose to 8.4 per game, and more than half of his 67 total rebounds were on the offensive side of the ball.
“It’s changed my approach to how I approach offensive rebounds,” Looney said of his more decorated frame. “For the last two years I’ve been able to do more so just push people around. I was a little stronger and could just push guys.”
Preseason gave Looney the opportunity to then figure out what was best for him in terms of using his speed or leaning more toward physicality.
“I’m trying to find that combination of doing both, depending on who’s guarding me, what center I’m going against, and I’ve figured it out lately,” he said.
Every possession, every opportunity matters in the NBA. The Warriors took two more shots than the Celtics, had three more offensive rebounds than them and outscored the defending champions by seven. That’s thanks to Looney constantly generating positive energy.
If heroes are remembered but legends never die, cult heroes have their own unsung category that winners understand and can feel more than anyone. Count Looney as part of the lot.
“Loon is a winner,” Kerr said. “Whatever you need, he’s there for you.”
