This was Klay Thompson’s night, his 54 points against Atlanta an explosion from yesteryear and further proof he still has such a gear in him despite all he’s been through.
This was another signature defensive clinic by Draymond Green, who again hit another gear in the clutch, anchoring several crucial stops, this effort highlighted by a block of a Trae Young 3.
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This was another stripe for Donte DiVincenzo, the new and increasingly adored Warrior, who again displayed his capacity for winning with his embrace of harrowing defensive assignments, and the dirty work of rebounding, and the pressure of big shots — like his game-tying, overtime-forcing 3 with 0.06 seconds remaining in regulation.
While all that is true about Thompson, Green and DiVincenzo, the Warriors’ fifth straight win wasn’t in the bag Monday until Kevon Looney grabbed his 10th offensive rebound and banked in a put-back off the glass just before the clock expired, securing the 143-141, double-overtime triumph and the first buzzer-beater of his basketball life.
Buzzer beater Kevon
» https://t.co/ocDF2EHeJH pic.twitter.com/lx4eOtGBSc
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) January 3, 2023
The Hawks and Warriors traded stretches of offensive excellence to a 95-95 draw through three quarters. Then the game became about will. Then it became about who had the fortitude to execute against the opponent, the tension and fatigue. Hustle and grit would win this one. What ended up officially the case Monday has long been essentially and emotionally true.
These Warriors don’t win without Loon.
The Warriors’ 20th win of the season was Looney’s turn to drink from the chalice of glory. And did his smile ever illustrate the significance. He cheese’d like a Wisconsinite before a charcuterie board. Jordan Poole, his little bro, was the first to him. A swarm of blue jerseys followed, mobbing him wildly enough to crash into the scorer’s table. Thompson, on his monumental night, became but a giddy teammate, bouncing on the trampoline of Looney Love. Even Stephen Curry, who can hardly ever contain himself, leapt into the mix. His brown sweater, and Andre Iguodala’s leather jacket, popped amid the bouncing blue and gold huddle.
DUBS WIN pic.twitter.com/0ATu2hBGUq
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) January 3, 2023
“Everybody was just excited for me. They know how hard I work,” Looney said in his postgame press conference. “Everybody dreams about getting a game-winner. Whenever you get a chance to do that and celebrate with the team, it’s a great moment. Especially a double-overtime game. Everybody was exhausted. So, you know, everybody was just giving me my props.”
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Glue guys and dirty workers don’t get these moments. Normally, players like Looney wouldn’t touch the ball long enough to beat a buzzer. Great screens don’t get a player mobbed. Rebounds don’t come with fanfare. Nailing defensive rotations and staying in front of guards on the perimeter doesn’t make the highlight reels. Being reliable, trustworthy, accountable, influential, sacrificial and professional doesn’t add up to All-Star votes and jersey sales. None of it landed Looney the big contract he probably deserves, not even from the Warriors.
But what he lacks in hype he makes up for in respect. That’s what made Monday’s win so special for Golden State. Their win streak remained alive even while Curry and Andrew Wiggins remain shelved. They moved into a virtual three-way tie for seventh in the West, two games back of the No. 4 seed. And this time, Looney got to be the finisher.
If he wasn’t 6-foot-9, about 250 pounds, they might have carried him off the Chase Center court.
No Warrior deserved this moment more. His teammates young and old, and coaches, and any follower who understands the journey and context of Golden State, all understand why.
These Warriors don’t win without Loon.
The Warriors don’t make it so quickly out of the dungeons of the D’Angelo Russell era. They don’t have the infrastructure to begin their two-timeline plan. They don’t win last year’s championship. They don’t have a shot at this year’s.
Because how they will win it is the same way they’ve clawed back into contention. Not as much with talent as toughness. Not as much with highlights as with hustle. Two weeks ago, they left Brooklyn with questions about their resilience and commitment. They are the defending champions. The ability wasn’t in question. But the intangibles needed to remain on top had been lacking.
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Curry, Thompson and Green will lead the way. As always. But Looney is pivotal to the how. The dynasty built on shooting, passing and movement is grouted with grittiness. The kind that wins on the road. The kind that overcomes injuries. The kind that doesn’t let flaws and ego get in the way of winning.
“Obviously, we know what Loon brings to this team,” Green said, speaking to reporters in front of his locker. “(Twenty) rebounds, always right in the middle of the fight no matter who we’re playing against or what’s going on, and to see him have that moment — that was a really big moment for him.”
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It should always be remembered how Looney got here. It took two hip surgeries, getting his fourth-year option declined, remaking his body and his game to be what this team needs, constant attempts to replace him, and a couple free agencies to let him know his championship makeover isn’t quite coveted. Yet, Looney still persists.
He inked himself into Warriors lore by channeling Wilt Chamberlain in the playoffs. He got the ultimate stamp when the future Hall of Famers declared they wanted Looney, who spent much of his career watching clutch moments from the bench, on the court with them.
He’s worked on his finishing. He’s grown into a stalwart and versatile defender. He’s become a pivotal leader in the locker room — the moral compass, as coach Steve Kerr calls him. He’s never complained about minutes, or getting sacrificed on the altar of others’ potential, or not getting shots, or not getting the money to reflect his value. He’s always been positive, always been willing to help, always prioritized winning.
This resurgence of the Warriors, when it felt like their season was on the brink and they desperately needed a win streak, has been authored by the team playing with Looney’s type of spirit. The victories have come in the little things, in the energy to push back on adversity, in the willingness to dig deeper.
“I feel like the last week, we’ve been in all tough, grind-out games and we’ve been showing our toughness winning in different ways,” Looney said. “Earlier in the season, we usually just won games that were free-flowing and the high-scoring type of games. But we done showed we can win in different ways, relying on our defense and rebounding and different things like that. And so it gives our group confidence. We’ve started to find our identity, and we know what it takes for our team to win, especially with our main guys missing.”
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At times, it’s looked pretty. The 3s have rained. The fast breaks have popped. The ball has zipped. But when it’s been time to win, it’s been tough and physical and even ugly. They’ve won with effort. They’ve won through force. They’ve won by competing.
Monday’s epic win against the Hawks was a microcosm for how the Warriors have revived their season. When the transition game didn’t produce the easy look, when the flow wasn’t smooth, when the 3-pointer didn’t fall, it was an offensive rebound that put them over the top. It was a nose for the ball, the aggressiveness to go get it, and the resolve to try again. All authored by their rock of a starting center.
These Warriors don’t win without Loon.
(Photo: Ezra Shaw / Getty Images)