Warriors coach Steve Kerr indicated Saturday he expects center Kevon Looney to see increased playing time in Sunday's Game 7 against the Houston Rockets. The Golden State team faces a win-or-go-home scenario after dropping the last two games of the first-round playoff series.
Looney played only two minutes in the Warriors' Game 6 loss on Friday. The team has struggled to counter the Rockets' physicality, particularly the presence of big men like Steven Adams.
Houston has often utilized a hybrid zone defense when Adams is on the floor, making it difficult for Golden State to pull him out of the paint. Kerr noted the challenge of finding lineup combinations that offer both shooting to space the zone and defensive capability.
"I trust Loon implicitly, based on being together for 10 years, seeing him perform in so many of these big games," Kerr told reporters. "So I would expect Loon to play more than he did last night."
Increased minutes for Kevon Looney could mean sacrificing some floor spacing against Houston's zone, but it offers a potential counter to the Rockets' rebounding advantage. Houston has been dominant on the boards, especially with Adams on the court.
The Warriors will also be without guard Gary Payton II, who started Game 6 but will miss Game 7 due to an illness.
This absence necessitates further lineup adjustments for Kerr and his coaching staff.Forward Jonathan Kuminga is another player who could potentially see minutes after being largely out of the rotation. Kerr said Kuminga is "more of a wild card" but acknowledged his defensive potential. sfgate:(Source)
Looney has a history of impactful performances in high-stakes games, including a strong rebounding effort in the Warriors' most recent Game 7 appearance two years ago.
Ultimately, Kerr highlighted that despite schematic adjustments, the team's biggest issues in Game 6 were a lack of defensive focus and emotional composure late in the contest.
"I trust Loon implicitly, based on being together for 10 years, seeing him perform in so many of these big games," Kerr said. "So I would expect Loon to play more than he did last night."
