Steve Kerr on Kevon Looney: ‘Loon is one of the best centers in the league’

By HoopsHype | April 30, 2023

What’s the buzz on Twitter? Micah Adams @MAdamsStatGuyThe list of players with more than 20 rebounds in a true road game in a Game 7.Kevon Looney.Dave Cowens.Wilt Chamberlain.Bill Russell.Elgin Baylor.Steph Curry is rightfully going to get the lions share of love but the Warriors don’t win that game without Looney. – 7:53 PM Micah Adams @MAdamsStatGuySteph Curry just did THAT in a game in which his best teammate was Kevon Looney.Not Pippen.Not Kyrie.Not Kareem.Not McHale.Not Shaq.Not Baylor.Kevon. Looney.Maybe THE all-time “get on my back” playoff performance. – 7:35 PM Kylen Mills @KylenMillsSteve Kerr when asked by my friend @CAlvarezABC7 what a key is to beating the Lakers on Tuesday:“I have no idea.”LOL. Says he hasn’t thought about it yet. #dubnation – 6:53 PM Michael Scotto @MikeAScottoSteve Kerr on Kevon Looney: “I think Loon is one of the best centers in the league, I really do. People don’t recognize it because he’s not dunking, shooting threes, and all that stuff, but this guy is a flat out winner, he’s a machine, and we wouldn’t be here witho it him.” pic.twitter.com/u0DOoMmhZz – 6:50 PM Anthony Slater @anthonyVslaterKlay Thompson: “I was 4-for-19, which is disgusting. But a +30. I’ll take that.” Steve Kerr credited Klay for a what he called a huge defensive performance despite a bad shooting night. – 6:50 PM Connor Letourneau @Con_ChronSteve Kerr: “We’re whole now. This is an excellent defensive team, and it’s an excellent road team. Forget all the stuff that happened earlier.” – 6:46 PM Kylen Mills @KylenMillsSteve Kerr says today’s Steph Curry performance reminded him of the days he played with Michael Jordan. “You just have to remind yourself, this is one of the great players to ever play the game.”#dubnation – 6:45 PM Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBSKevon Looney had 11 points, 11 defensive rebounds and 10 offensive rebounds.I’m counting that as a triple-double I don’t care what the rules say. – 6:36 PM Madeline Kenney @madkenneySteve Kerr on Kevon Looney: “I think Loon is one of the best centers in the league, I really do. And people don’t recognzie it becasue he’s not dunking and shooting 3s and all that stuff. This guy is a flat-out winner and he’s a machine. We wouldn’t be here without him.” – 6:35 PM Kendra Andrews @kendra__andrewsBefore any questions are asked in his postgame press conference, Steve Kerr shouts out Curry’s 50 points and Kevon Looney, who Kerry called one of the best centers in the league. – 6:35 PM Madeline Kenney @madkenneySteve Kerr opens his postgame presser by congratulating Sacramento and Mike Brown for their season. “They’ve had, frankly, a much better season than we have. We’ve kind of been up and down all year… and they put together a whole season where they just became a contender.” – 6:34 PM Dalton Johnson @DaltonJ_JohnsonWarriors win 120-100Steph Curry scored 50 points, Kevon Looney grabbed 21 rebounds and the Warriors will play the Lakers at home on Tuesday – 6:14 PM Kevin O’Connor @KevinOConnorNBAGreat season for the Kings but watching the Warriors ignore Domantas Sabonis on the perimeter and limit him inside while Kevon Looney bullied him on the boards has to raise questions. Was this an issue unique to GSW matchup? Does he need an enforcer next to him? A lot to resolve. – 6:13 PM Ben Golliver @BenGolliverThe Warriors will improve to 19-0 in playoff series against Western Conference opponents since Steve Kerr’s 2014 arrival. – 6:06 PM Vivek Jacob @vivekmjacobTake a bow, Kevon Looney. What an incredible series for him and the most impactful Warrior tonight not named Steph. – 6:06 PM Tim Bontemps @TimBontempsPer @StatsWilliams, three players have ever had at least 10 offensive and 10 defensive rebounds in a Game 7:Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley and Kevon Looney. – 6:01 PM John Ireland @LAIrelandYou might have to go back to Dennis Rodman or Moses Malone to find a game where ONE guy is dominating the rebounds like Kevon Looney is today. He’s been as valuable as Curry in this game. – 5:49 PM David Locke @DLocke09Steve Kerr doesn’t get enough credit for how great some of their plays sets are. End of quarter. Knew they were going to double Steph. So runs Steph off Draymond pick, they double. Draymond goes and picks for Klay. No one to help because Draymond’s man is doubling Steph – 5:43 PM Kylen Mills @KylenMillsI knew when Kevon Looney reportedly signed a three-year, $25.5M contract last summer that it was a deal, but it’s crazy he’s the 39th highest paid center in the NBA per ABC. The league’s offensive rebounds leader who hasn’t missed a game in 2 seasons. Build the statue #dubnation – 5:32 PM Howard Chen @TheHoChenBig fan of players like Kevon Looney who embrace their roles and hustle so hard to do the little things that make all the winning difference – 5:29 PM Kendra Andrews @kendra__andrewsThe margin on the boards has been such a defining factor in this series. And right now, the Warriors have 12 offensive boards in the third quarter alone, 15-8 advantage overall.Kevon Looney has 18 rebounds, eight on the offensive glass. GSW has 15 2nd-chance points to SAC’s 8. – 5:28 PM Kylen Mills @KylenMillsDid I hear correctly that the broadcasters just said that Kevon Looney is the 29th highest paid center in the NBA?! The Warriors and #dubnation better appreciate what they got, Loon may not be flashy but he’s effective, durable and certainly deserving of a bag 🥺🥺🥺 – 5:26 PM Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBSKevon Looney is making $8 million this season. Not even mid-level money. Nobody could’ve stolen him for the mid-level? How do we live in a world in which Kevon Looney makes 20% as much as Kristaps Porzingis? – 5:25 PM Anthony Slater @anthonyVslaterThat’s now 12 third quarter offensive rebounds for the Warriors, seven of them from Kevon Looney. Still 4:44 left in the quarter. Looney is up to 18 total rebounds in 22 minutes. Again. – 5:24 PM Dalton Johnson @DaltonJ_JohnsonThe Warriors had 21 rebounds in the first half. They already have 14 in the third quarterKevon Looney has half of those 14 in the third and is up tp 15 rebounds – 5:21 PM Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNUGame 7, Warriors at SacramentoKings lead series 696-691 through 6 games.Warriors have made 7 more 3s, but Kings have 2 more FGs overall, 8 more FTs, 18 more offensive rebounds, 3 fewer turnovers.How often can De’Aaron Fox get Kevon Looney coverage, where Fox has thrived? – 3:39 PM Anthony Slater @anthonyVslaterThe Warriors are going back to their traditional starting lineup for Game 7.Steph CurryKlay ThompsonAndrew WigginsDraymond GreenKevon Looney – 3:06 PM Kendra Andrews @kendra__andrewsWarriors reverting back to their original — and their most efficient — starting lineups.Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrews Wiggins, Draymond Green and Kevon Looney. – 3:05 PM Madeline Kenney @madkenneyA starting lineup change for Game 7Draymond Green will start alongside Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Kevon Looney. – 3:04 PM Connor Letourneau @Con_ChronSteve Kerr on the Warriors’ fatigue: “I think Game 7, that goes out the window. … Everyone’s going to leave everything out there.” – 2:10 PM Matt George @MattGeorgeSACI asked Steve Kerr if Game 7 is where the Warriors experience advantage really means the most:“I really hope so.” – 2:08 PM More on this storyline Kevon Looney smiled when he saw a text message from his dad on his phone in the visitors locker room after the Golden State Warriors’ playoff win on Wednesday night. With another 20-rebound game in the postseason, the Warriors forward knew he earned a text of praise from Schreiner University’s all-time leading rebounder. “He texted me, ‘Wow, great game today.’ He really doesn’t care about no points. He talks about me going to the glass every time on rebounding,” Looney said with a smile after the Warriors’ 123-116 victory over the Sacramento Kings in Game 5 at Golden 1 Center. “He can say, ‘You gave up on the boxout. You gave up on this play. You have to go every time.’ When I call him after a game, that is what he will want to talk to me about. So, when he texted me, ‘Great game, son’ after the game, I knew I went for the rebound every time.” -via Andscape / April 28, 2023