Looney delivers top-notch performance in Warriors’ win over Celtics originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

BOSTON – In the end, the Warriors’ legends will forever be remembered at Chase Center. Jerseys are raised to the rafters and statues are cast in concrete for all to honor.

Steph Curry will of course be at the forefront. Klay Thompson and Draymond Green will be at his side. Kevin Durant is honored, as is 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 last title run, a cult hero emerged in Kevon Looney.

Social media wouldn’t be filled with Looney Dunk highlights or his retreat and fire from the deep. His heart often exceeds his stats. But in the 2022 playoffs, Looney’s incredible rebounding performances had fans, teammates and coaches clamoring for an encore.

Back in Boston, home to a duel between two of the NBA’s best teams this season, Looney’s performance at TD Garden in the Warriors’ 118-112 win over the Celtics on Wednesday night reminded many of his play three seasons ago when the selfless center celebrated by getting fit for another championship ring.

“Reminds me a lot of every big moment he was a part of and helped us win at the highest level,” Curry said after the win. “Throughout the 2022 playoff round and the last two years, there have been times where he has made tremendous contributions.

“I’m so happy for him that he’s being rewarded for the work he’s done in the offseason to get his body in order. He moves well and can still be physical. And he’s just super smart. He knows where he needs to be at all times and plays position basketball.”

Looney came off the bench for the eighth consecutive game to start the season and asserted himself early with three offensive rebounds in the first quarter. Now in his 10th NBA season, all with the Warriors, the veteran’s reliability was most crucial in the fourth quarter when he thwarted the Celtics’ second-half comeback.

Looney played seven minutes, 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 to date. He scored six points on perfect 3-of-3 shooting and, as always, his biggest presence was felt on the glass as he grabbed four rebounds, three of which came on offense.

In a 42-second stretch from the 1:50 mark of the fourth quarter, when the Warriors were ahead by two, to the 1:08 mark, when their lead was four, Looney was all over the line and made a crucial one Post after post.

First came Looney, who perfectly interpreted a 3-point attempt from Draymond Green with an air ball, but it fell far short. With the ball in flight, Looney ran past Jrue Holiday and grabbed the ball from 7-footer Neemias Queta, which he immediately flipped back up with his left hand for two big points.

On the Warriors’ next offensive possession, Looney trailed Curry on his way to the basket, intercepted his missed layup attempt and was there in a flash to extend the Warriors’ lead to four points before scoring on the other side Jumper from Jayson Tatum took the side.

Since joining the Warriors exactly four months ago, Buddy Hield has experienced what everyone around Looney has experienced over the last decade.

“He’s just so selfless,” Hield said. “Bigs want to score, they want to put the ball in the basket, and he doesn’t argue when the guards take his rebounds. He’s just the ultimate teammate, man. You love playing with him. He sets screens, he rolls… he’s just the guy you need and he’s always on time.”

A staunch Looney defender since the Warriors drafted him, Kerr called his two putbacks “perhaps the two greatest shots of the game.”

“I thought his minutes on the track were just tremendous,” he continued.

After the Warriors secured his contract, the buzz throughout the offseason was that Looney might extend his game to the 3-point line and lost more than 15 pounds compared to last season. He hasn’t attempted a three-pointer yet, but the more agile version of himself continues to be a rebound machine.

Looney has grabbed 10 rebounds in back-to-back games and has reached double figures in half of the Warriors’ games. Although his minutes per game have dropped to 16.2, his rebounds have increased 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 offensive rebounds,” Looney said of his slimmer frame. “In the last few years I’ve been able to push people around more and more. I was a little stronger and could just push the guys.”

The preseason then gave Looney the opportunity to figure out what was best for him, whether it was using his speed or leaning more toward physicality.

“I try to find that combination of both depending on who’s guarding me, which center I’m going against, and that’s what I’ve been figuring out lately,” he said.

In the NBA, every possession counts, every opportunity counts. The Warriors had two more shots than the Celtics, had three more offensive rebounds than them and outrebounded the defending champions by seven. This is because Looney constantly generates positive energy.

When heroes are remembered but legends never die, cult heroes have their own unsung category that the winners can understand and feel better than anyone else. Count Looney in there.

“Loon is a winner,” Kerr said. “Whatever you need, he’s there for you.”

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