Looney provides glimpse of value to a young team
SAN FRANCISCO >> Kevon Looney was a sight for sore eyes, and without him the Warriors’ defense was quite an eyesore.
Yes, the 23-year-old center returned to the court in Thursday night’s opener against the Clippers after missing the entire preseason with a right hamstring injury. In his 11 minutes Looney shined just enough light to line an otherwise deep, dark cloud of the Warriors’ defensive woes.
“Our defense was atrocious,” Draymond Green said. “It was bad across the board.”
Bad is the simplest way to put it: Chase Center’s regular-season debut hosted a visiting team rout, the Los Angeles Clippers walloping the Warriors 141-122.
The Warriors struggled to defend the Clippers’ lethal pick and roll — perfected already between Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell last season — left bigs uncontested in the paint and, when attempting to correct, left Los Angeles’ plethora of shooters open opportunities on the perimeter. There was no relent; the Clippers shot at a 63 percent clip, 52 percent from three.
“The young guys closed the game playing hard and that’s what we are going to have to stay on them about,” coach Steve Kerr said. “The young guys, on a night like (this), which is going to happen again — this is not a one off, this is a reality.”
Reality is that this team is young and learning. Nine of the 16 on this roster are 23 or younger. And it shows, in good ways (some are young and unafraid to shoot their shot) and bad (see above).
“This is reality, nine guys 23 or younger, we’re starting over in many respects,” Kerr said. “So we have to be patient and we have to fight, and have to teach as a staff and players have to continue to absorb and learn.”
That is, except Looney, who at 23 is still exhibiting veteran-like mentality and defensive IQ on the court.
Despite being kept off the court the last month with a troublesome hamstring, Looney started Thursday’s game and looked like he hadn’t skipped a beat. The most important element to his game that shined: he was always active on the boards, always had a hand on the ball and was aggressive in his box outs.
In those 11 minutes, Looney had nine rebounds — five offensive rebounds and four defensive ones. As the Warriors mounted a quasi-comeback from an early 14-0 deficit, Looney’s impact on the glass drew at least one noticeable line between the clearly superior squad and the struggling home team. By halftime, down just by 11, the Warriors had nine total offensive rebounds to the
Clippers’ two. The Warriors had taken 16 more shots — and, though the scores didn’t even, second-chance opportunities would be key against a staunch defense like the Clippers’.
“Rebounding the basketball, those possessions are key for us,” Curry said. “Our margin for error is really slim, so those are things we have to correct if we want to compete.”
Looney was removed from the game after that first half. He had been cleared to play at least 20 minutes, but his tricky hamstring tightened and, for precautionary reasons, the rest of the 20-somethings were left to the wolves.