Warriors center Kevon Looney, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, continues to pump up his value. Looney, who grabbed 22 rebounds in the clinching win over Memphis, delivered one of the top performances of his career during Golden State’s Game 2 comeback against Dallas on Friday night.
He had 21 points, 12 rebounds and no turnovers in 32 minutes while holding whoever he was guarding, including Luka Doncic, to 1-for-11 shooting, ESPN’s Kendra Andrews notes.
“Playing center for the Warriors, it’s a different type of job from other teams,” Looney said. “A lot of the scoring and stuff, we don’t really need us to do. It’s a lot of screen setting and a lot of play-making and doing different things. For me to have a game like that is cool.”
We have more from the Pacific Division:
- It doesn’t seem as if the Warriors’ Gary Payton II or Andre Iguodala will play in the Western Conference Finals, though both are making “progress,” the team’s PR department tweets. Recovering from a left elbow fracture, Payton has started to do light individual on-court activities and will be reevaluated in one week. Iguodala, who has missed nine games due to a disc injury in his neck, is also doing light individual on-court activities along with physical therapy and weight room training. His status will be updated when he rejoins team practices.
- An Athletic report on Friday suggested that Bucks assistant Darvin Ham has emerged as the top candidate for the Lakers’ head coaching job. The Athletic’s Jovan Buha believes Ham is the right choice, stating Ham is long overdue for an opportunity to be a head coach. He also has ties to the organization as a former assistant coach there, a championship pedigree and is well-respected by players, Buha adds.
- The Orange County Register’s Kyle Goon takes a look at the three reported finalists for the Lakers’ job, a list that also includes Kenny Atkinson and Terry Stotts. Goon believes Stotts is the most likely to find ways to make Russell Westbrook more effective but also notes that Stotts’ teams often flamed out early in the postseason.
Euroleague 3rd place & title games today in Belgrade, starting in abt 10mins
Gotta be at least 1 other person here watching this incredible Euroleague Final bw Istanbul/Madrid..
Not all of us have access to those games.
If you have wifi and a phone you have access to those games. I just watched the Floyd Mayweather fight same way I watched the Euroleague Final. It’s 2022, a quick Google search will get u most of the way there
Difference in teams is the warriors never give up. Even when they were getting destroyed by the grizzlies they were already talking about how they would adjust the next game. Suns pretty much gave up in game 7 but the warriors never gave up even down 19 points. Having been there before you know things can change fast.
I think there’s a difference between “adjusting” and “giving up.” I agree that Golden State has adapted well to their opponent’s schemes and tightened up late in games, but I would not say the likes of Memphis and Phoenix “gave up.” That implies they didn’t believe themselves to have had a chance to win their respective matchups.
I highly doubt a Phoenix team that had hitherto won all 3 of their home games against Dallas didn’t think they could win game 7; they just failed to execute. Likewise, if Memphis had given up, they would not have been victorious in game 5.
I didn’t say Memphis gave up. Just used the game they slaughtered warriors in that Warriors didn’t sulk about it. Suns looked down and beat when Dallas had that big lead. Experience and been there before brings teams back from the dead. When Spurs were doing their dynasty run they were like that no matter how far down the score they were they would rally back and win.
By that logic, why did Golden State “give up” in game 5 against Memphis? Is that not analogous to Phoenix having issues coming back in game 7?
When you know its 1 game and still up 2 games you test out things so you know what to do next game. By the end of the third quarter in the game the vets were discussing with Brown on how to do a better job next game and how to counter what the Grizzlies were doing. Exactly what they did to win game 6.
Why can’t Dallas do the same? They were in an identical scenario one round ago, so who says they’ve given up?
Yes, the Warriors are doing a great job with adjustments; perhaps better than anyone this postseason. But to suggest they’re the only team doing so, and to imply other professional teams are essentially surrendering is ridiculous to me
I don’t expect Dallas to give up. The playoffs is all about adjustments. Kidd is very good at adjusting in the playoffs. They adjusted against the Suns. Just like how Celtics adjusted for game 2 and won. So why do I feel you just want to argue? Why do you pretend I say things I never said?
Because you started off with “difference in teams,” implying the difference between Golden State and Dallas is that the former doesn’t give up, unlike the latter.
Perhaps that wasn’t what you meant, but I don’t understand how I’m supposed to know that
They let it get out of hand all at once and realized it was better to re group and strategize than chase that win. Worked well too.
Its not so much as “giving up”, more like Dallas shot insanely well while chucking up 3’s all night, then when the 3’s came back to normal %, GSW’s superior offense overpowered them.
Dallas has literally zero offense past Luka and Dinwiddie. Brunson is no match for GSW unless he flukes a bunch of 3’s, like he did last night in the first half.
Imagine full strength GP2, Iggy and Wiseman on this team, my god, GSW is going to win this year, and the next 5+, easily.
It was Looney defeat Rockets in 2018
Looney has good court vision and passing skills
Looney is a better player than Draymond
Looney is better than Draymond? Are you high.
No he’s Just Sillyman
Looney has always been the unsung hero, “character” guy, selfless, sacrificing, and does whatever it takes for the team to win. He is an extension of Warriors Super trio and very important part of the Warriors champion DNA. He is not someone that can be cut off the team . He was Warriors original draft pick in 2015 and not only needs to but deserves to stay in Golden State fot rest of his career. Please make it happen Myers!!!!
looney has always been injured, Right now he is looking the best he has ever looked with no lingering effects of his previous injuries. In the past he only could play limited minutes. I just hope some team doesn’t throw a huge contract his way so he stays wit the warriors. He fits the system is why he excels but i see if he signs somewhere else he could be regretted for being paid big bucks.
Looney+GP2+Otto make this team literally unstoppable at full strength, Myers gotta prioritize re-upping all 3.
Wiggins is a goner though, no way there’s room for him along with those 3.
Wiggins at 18M is a lot more affordable than the current deal. I would offer him a reasonable deal to see if he wants to stick around. Cap will spike a bunch in year 2 of his new deal anyways which will help them.
GPII they have early bird so that should be no problem. Loon wont get as big of offers from others since he is better in this system than others. OPJ they can offer the MLE to but otherwise he is the hardest to resign if he gets real offers.
Warriors can trade Wiggns or let him play out the final yr. However, it will not be smart to lowball him with $18m a yr extension this offseason. It will be insulting to Wiggins and to his fellow teammates. You dont want to send wrong message to your team.
Damion Lee played the worst 5 minutes in NBA playoffs history last night, and was awful every single second he was on the court, but Kerr left him in, why god why? Why is Kerr+GSW obsessed with playing this non-playoffs player? Lee is barely an NBA player, he shouldnt be seeing any time and Moses Moody is 100x the player he is, and proved it last night.
Moody could have been outplaying Lee every single time Lee played in these playoffs, its disgraceful and terrible coaching to play your 14th best player like he’s your 8th best player while leaving 6 players who destroy him on the bench. If you have Poole, Thompson and Curry for 2 spots YOU DONT NEED TO PLAY ANYONE ELSE! What was that lineup even? We dont need a Lee/Klay/Poole lineup! WTF
Kerr’s lifelong obsession with playing absolutely dogpoo guards in important moments in big games where they NEED buckets is completely insane and a big reason why his coaching doesnt mean anything to this team, its always about Curry, period. Kerr is a HANDICAP on this team due to his hard headedness and refusal to adapt. 100% of GSW fans would bench Lee until its garbage time, Kerr knows less than us.
Lee can’t guard much taller players so he was exposed by Kidd going after Lee. Moody can defend against bigger players so they should use him more. Moddy played such great defense you will see him get the playing time over Lee.