After an inconsistent, injury-riddled season, the Golden State Warriors advanced to the Western Conference Semifinals after a 120-100 road win in Game 7 over the Sacramento Kings.
Stephen Curry has attracted almost everyone’s attention by scoring 50 points and spearheading his team’s offense.
However, big man Kevon Looney was also huge, as he grabbed 21 rebounds, 10 of which were off the offensive glass.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr praised him after the game, saying that he was one of the best centers in the NBA.
Steve Kerr: “I think (Kevon) Looney is one of the best centers in the league.” pic.twitter.com/j3ODtAWFjx
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) April 30, 2023
Along with Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, Looney is one of its mainstays that has been around for a while.
Unlike key contributors like Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole, Looney played on Golden State’s championship teams in 2017 and 2018, and although he was a bench player back then, his game has only grown since then.
He has become a full-time starter over the last two seasons, and he averaged career-best 9.3 rebounds a game in the regular season and shot 63.0 percent from the field.
Throughout the series against the Kings, Looney averaged 10-plus rebounds in five games and at least 20 rebounds three times, and also had nine assists in Game 3 of the Warriors.
They’ll be in for a big challenge in the next round, as they face the increasingly new look of the Los Angeles Lakers, meaning Looney will have to guard Anthony Davis, at least for stretches, but it looks like he Ready for that challenge. ,
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