BOSTON – When it’s all said and done, the Warriors’ legends will forever be remembered at Chase Center. There will be jerseys lifted to the rafters and statues cemented for all to cherish.
Steph Curry of course will 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 have strong arguments too.
The term “star” or even “superstar” has become an oversaturated moniker in all of sports, including the NBA. But the Warriors during the dynasty had stars, and superstars alike. During their most recent title run, a cult hero emerged in Kevon Looney.
Social media wasn’t going to be filled with Looney dunk highlights or him stepping back and catching fire from deep. His heart often tops 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 Warriors’ 118-112 win Wednesday night against the Celtics reminded many of his play three seasons ago when the selfless center celebrated by getting fitted for yet another championship ring.
“Very reminiscent of every big moment that he’s been part of to help us win at the highest level,” Curry said after the win. “That whole ‘22 playoff run, and the last two years there have been times where he has made huge contributions.
“I’m so happy for him that he’s being rewarded for the work that he put in in the offseason to get his body right. He’s moving well and able to still be physical. And he’s just super smart. He knows where to be at all times and play 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 reliability of the veteran now in his 10th NBA season – all being with the Warriors – was most pertinent came in the fourth quarter to stave off the Celtics’ second-half comeback.
Looney played seven minutes and 38 seconds in 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 a perfect 3-of-3 shooting, and as always, his biggest presence was felt on the glass by hauling in four rebounds with three being on offense.
In a 42-second stretch from the 1:50 mark in the fourth quarter when the Warriors were up by two, through the 1:08 mark when their lead was at four, Looney was all over the place, making one clutch contribution after another.
First came Looney perfectly reading an air-balled 3-point attempt from Draymond Green that fell way short. As the ball was in flight, Looney skirted past Jrue Holiday and grabbed 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 trailed Curry going to the basket, caught his missed layup attempt and in a heartbeat again was there for two points to extend the Warriors’ lead to four points before then contesting a Jayson Tatum jumper on the other side.
Since coming to the Warriors exactly four months ago, Buddy Hield has learned what all those around Looney have witnessed for the last decade.
“He’s just so unselfish,” Hield said. “Bigs 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 playing 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 putbacks “maybe the two biggest shots of the game.”
“I thought his minutes were just massive down the stretch,” he continued.
All offseason, the talk surrounding Looney once the Warriors guaranteed his contract was about him possibly extending his game to the 3-point line, as well as him slimming down more than 15 pounds from last season. So far he is yet to attempt a three, but the more mobile version of himself continues to be a rebounding machine.
Looney has 10 rebounds in two straight games and has reached double digits in half the Warriors’ games. Despite his minutes dropping to 16.2 per game, his rebounds have risen to 8.4 per game, and more than half of his 67 total rebounds have been on the offensive side of the ball.
“It kind of changed my approach to how I go about offensive rebounds,” Looney said about his more trim frame. “Over the last couple years I was able to more so just push people around. I was a little stronger and was able to just push guys.”
Preseason gave Looney the opportunity to then figure out what’s best for him in terms of using his quickness or leaning more towards 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 been figuring it out as of late,” 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 outrebounded the defending champions by seven. That’s thanks to Looney constantly generating positive energy.
If heroes get remembered but legends never die, cult heroes have their own unsung category that winners understand, and can feel, more than anybody. Count Looney as part of the lot.
“Loon’s a winner,” Kerr said. “Whatever you need, he’s there for you.”
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