MVP chants broke out at Chase Center on Friday, but they weren’t for Steph Curry.
Kevon Looney stepped up to the free-throw line toward the end of the third quarter of the Warriors’ Game 2 matchup against the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference finals when something strange happened.
“MVP! MVP! MVP!” fans shouted as Looney shot his and-1 free throw to complete the three-point play.
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Those chants were well deserved, as Looney had arguably the best game of his career. He finished the night with a career-high 21 points on 10-of-14 shooting from the field, 12 rebounds and two assists in 32 minutes.
Many thought Looney peaked in his impressive Game 6 performance vs. the Memphis Grizzlies during the Western Conference semifinals where he collected 22 boards. Yes, 22.
But to the world’s surprise, Looney had more in store for this postseason run.
Golden State Warriors
Still, even after that Game 6 vs. Memphis and Friday’s historically impressive performance, hearing fans yell “MVP” was foreign to the big man.
Following the Warriors’ incredible 126-117 comeback victory, Looney explained what was going on in his head during that time at the free-throw line.
And his reaction was everything.
“Uh, it was nerve-racking,” Looney told reporters after the win. “I ain’t shot a free throw in like three weeks so I’m trying to focus on making the free throw. But it was a cool moment for me. I made the free throw so that was even better.”
Looney went more in-depth with NBC Sports Bay Area Warriors reporter Kerith Burke about how special that moment at the stripe was.
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“It’s just fun having a good night like that,” Looney said. “Leading a comeback like that is something you dream about as a kid. I got MVP chants so that was pretty cool. I’m going to cherish that one, I might not get another one so I’m going to have to cherish that one.”
Wrong, Looney. If you continue to have games like that Game 6 win over Memphis and Friday’s Game 2 performance vs. Dallas, you just might hear those chants again.