Looney returns to play for Warriors in Sport four
OAKLAND, Calif. — Golden State Warriors huge man Kevon Looney performed in Sport four of the NBA Finals on Friday evening, 5 days after coach Steve Kerr stated he would seemingly miss the remainder of the postseason.
Looney’s return to the lineup got here as a shock provided that he suffered a nondisplaced first costal cartilage fracture on his proper facet throughout Sport 2.
Looney didn’t play in Sport three on Wednesday towards the Toronto Raptors — who lead the sequence 2-1 — however after extra session from the Warriors’ medical staff, the choice was made to permit Looney to play.
“Kevon’s going to provide it a go tonight,” Kerr stated earlier than the sport. “So additional analysis, a second opinion, after which a variety of analysis and ensuring that there is not any long-term threat concerned with him enjoying. And all of it checked out, and he is dying to play, and so we’ll give him a shot and we’ll see what he is obtained.”
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Looney’s presence ought to give the Warriors each an emotional and bodily carry on the ground. Veteran middle DeMarcus Cousins struggled in Sport three as he continues to get better from a torn quad harm suffered early within the playoffs. Looney has offered a stabilizing power for a Warriors group that is dependent upon his presence off the bench.
“The man’s simply robust,” Kerr stated. “He is robust and he needs to play. And the harm is in an space the place it permits him to maneuver properly sufficient to provide it a shot to play.”
Kerr stated he didn’t imagine Looney would take a pain-killing injection earlier than the sport.
As for Kevin Durant, the injured ahead stays out for Sport four due to a proper calf harm, however Kerr left open the chance that Durant may nonetheless come again in some unspecified time in the future on this sequence.
“He is not enjoying tonight,” Kerr stated. “We’re hoping he can play Sport 5 or 6. And all the pieces in between I’ve determined I am not sharing as a result of it is simply gone haywire. There’s a lot happening, and so it does not make sense to proceed to speak about it. He is both going to play or he isn’t. So tonight he isn’t enjoying.”
Warriors All-Star swingman Klay Thompson additionally performed Friday after lacking Sport three due to a hamstring harm. Kerr famous that whereas Thompson didn’t have a particular minutes restriction, the coaching employees can be watching him carefully to see how his hamstring responds.