Kevon Looney Injury: Odds Increasing that Forward Returns for Game 4

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.”

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.”

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.

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