Obviously, Stephen Curry’s performance in Game 7 against the Kings overshadows everything else, but the Warriors did not forget to highlight the performance of Kevon Looney in this decisive match.
Because the so precious pivot of Golden State was still admirable, compiling 11 points (4/5 shooting), 21 rebounds and 4 assists. Throughout the series, he managed Domantas Sabonis well, notably taking the best of him in the fight for the rebound, while the Lithuanian was nevertheless the best in this area in the regular season!
Kevon Looney thus became the third Warrior, only, to compile three games with more than 20 rebounds in a series of playoffs. Before him, only Wilt Chamberlain and Nate Thurmond had achieved this feat. And among all the other franchises, nobody had realized it since Dwight Howard, in 2008…
“I think Loon is one of the best pivots in the league”, thus explained Steve Kerr after the Warriors qualified. ” I really think so. People forget about him because he doesn’t dunk, he doesn’t shoot 3-pointers and all that. But this guy is an outright winner, a machine. We wouldn’t be here without him. »
Rebounds that ‘broken the soul’ of the Kings
Stephen Curry’s 14 points in the third quarter hurt the Kings very badly, but Kevon Looney’s 7 offensive rebounds in the period as well.
In his podcast, Draymond Green explained that Golden State’s domination under the boards in the third quarter (22 takes to 9, including 13 offensive rebounds) is the element that definitively tipped the match for the Warriors, each offensive rebound “breaking the soul a little more” of Kings.
“It all started with Kevon,” Draymond Green had already said at a press conference. “Loon started out dominating the rebound. And once we locked in the rebound, it allowed us to show how good our defense is. And once we did that, we were able to set up our offense, get some good offensive possessions and we were able to set up our game. Kevon Looney was tremendous. »
True to himself, the interested party appreciated him to shine in the dark tasks.
“That’s what makes the game fun. When you’re doing all the shadow work, pushing, grabbing and elbowing to get extra possessions for your team and then you see your teammates putting in a shot and changing the momentum , it’s an incredible feeling. It helps us win. I live for those moments” he concludes on his role in this team.
| Kevon Looney | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Crew | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2015-16 | GOS | 5 | 4 | 57.1 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 1.8 |
| 2016-17 | GOS | 53 | 8 | 52.3 | 22.2 | 61.8 | 0.8 | 1.5 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 2.6 |
| 2017-18 | GOS | 66 | 14 | 58.0 | 20.0 | 54.5 | 1.3 | 2.0 | 3.3 | 0.6 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 4.1 |
| 2018-19 | GOS | 80 | 19 | 62.5 | 10.0 | 61.9 | 2.4 | 2.8 | 5.2 | 1.5 | 2.6 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 6.3 |
| 2019-20 | GOS | 20 | 13 | 36.7 | 7.1 | 75.0 | 1.4 | 1.9 | 3.3 | 1.0 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 3.4 |
| 2020-21 | GOS | 61 | 19 | 54.8 | 23.5 | 64.6 | 1.9 | 3.4 | 5.3 | 2.0 | 2.2 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 4.1 |
| 2021-22 | GOS | 82 | 21 | 57.1 | 0.0 | 60.0 | 2.5 | 4.7 | 7.3 | 2.0 | 2.6 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 6.0 |
| 2022-23 | GOS | 82 | 24 | 63.0 | 0.0 | 60.6 | 3.3 | 5.9 | 9.3 | 2.5 | 2.7 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 7.1 |
| Total | 449 | 18 | 58.2 | 16.9 | 60.6 | 2.1 | 3.5 | 5.6 | 1.6 | 2.2 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 5.1 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots made / Shots attempted; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def= defensive rebound; Tot = Total bounces; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost bullets; Ct: Counters; Points = Points.
