Getty Kyle Lowry #7 of the Toronto Raptors attempts a shot against Kevon Looney #5 of the Golden State Warriors in the first quarter during Game One of the 2019 NBA Finals at Scotiabank Arena on May 30, 2019 in Toronto, Canada.
The Golden State Warriors have proven to be the walking wounded during these NBA Finals. The 2-time defending champions are down 2-1 to Toronto, as Kevin Durant continues to sit with a calf strain and Klay Thompson is coming back after his own leg injury.
Along with Thompson, Kevon Looney’s odds that he will hit the floor against the Raptors is increasing from just a few days ago. ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne reports that the forward is “questionable” with a fracture near his collarbone, as “word is he’s been lobbying hard to play as the doctors believe the injury won’t get worse.”
The other day @TimBontemps reported there was a chance Kevon Looney plays in the Finals w/ a fracture near his collarbone. Today he’s listed as questionable in the injury report for Game 4. Word is he’s been lobbying hard to play as the doctors believe the injury won’t get worse
This comes days after ESPN’s Tim Bontemps reported that initial MRI testing showed Looney’s “non-displaced first costal cartilage fracture” required more testing to have him come back for the series.
During a radio appearance on 95.7 The Game on Thursday evening, Kerr was clear that Looney seriously could return.
“Real possibility,” he said. “Basically, we got a second opinion. It’s a tricky injury … the original diagnosis we got was series-ending. But Loon is dying to play.
“We got a second opinion. He’s going through some testing today and tomorrow, so I think there’s a real chance he could be back out there.”
Steve Kerr believes there’s a ‘real chance’ Kevon Looney returns to the court during the NBA Finals 💪
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This was a more optimistic update than what Yahoo Sports heard Kerr say hours prior on Thursday afternoon.
“We’re gathering information,” he told the media at Oracle Arena. “Second-opinion type thing. It’s sort of open. It’s an open question. At this point, there’s not really anything to report.
“But we are looking at all of our options.”
Looney averaged 6.2 points and 5.2 rebounds per game during the regular season. However, the 6-foot-9, 220-pounder is needed in the frontcourt rotation to deal with the imposing size and physicality of the Raptors big men such as Marc Gasol, Pascal Siakam, Serge Ibaka and Norman Powell.