Kevon Looney is far from the flashiest player on the Warriors' roster, but this season, he’s been one of the most consistent.
Looney, who played in all 82 games this season after starting against the New Orleans Pelicans in the regular season finale on Sunday, was the definition of a workhorse for a Golden State team that seemingly dealt with injury after injury this season.
Coach Steve Kerr emphasized the significance of Looney’s accomplishment before the game, especially given Looney's history of injuries throughout his career.
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“It’s a huge deal for Loon,” Kerr told reporters. “It’s a huge deal for me. It’s always an incredible badge of honor for a player to play 82 games, and as a coach, to be able to rely on somebody 82 times is amazing. But particularly for it to be Loon, given what he’s been through his career, this has just been a fantastic season and I’m thrilled for him.”
The 26-year-old Looney started 80 of the 82 games this season, and entered Sunday averaging 6.0 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. He averaged over 21 minutes a game, the highest in his seven-year career.
Looney, a first-round selection of the Warriors in 2015, was one of the unsung rotation players during their championship seasons in 2017 and 2018. But this year, Looney’s impact has definitely been needed in the paint with James Wiseman’s injury setbacks.
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Related: How Looney, Warriors have rallied around Wiseman amid setback
With Wiseman out the rest of the season, look for the Warriors to continue to rely on Looney to defend opposing centers in the playoffs.
He’ll likely be an important factor in the first round, drawing either the Utah Jazz’s Rudy Gobert or the Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic.