Programming note: Watch the NBA Finals pregame edition of Warriors Outsiders on Friday at 4 p.m., streaming live on the MyTeams app.
On Tuesday afternoon, Warriors coach Steve Kerr announced Kevon Looney would miss the remainder of the NBA Finals against the Raptors.
Then, on Thursday morning, Tim Bontemps of ESPN broke the following news:
After undergoing further evaluation of the non-displaced first costal cartilage fracture he suffered in Game 2, Warriors forward Kevon Looney could potentially return during the NBA Finals, league sources told ESPN. More testing will determine next steps for Looney.— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) June 6, 2019
On the NBA's official injury report released at 2:30 p.m. PT on Friday, Looney is listed as "questionable" for Game 4.
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A source told NBC Sports Bay Area's Logan Murdock that the injury being reported is accurate, but it's possible to play through, and that the affected area is in the sternum and ribs, not the collarbone. And during a radio appearance on 95.7 The Game on Thursday night, Kerr was clear that Looney seriously could return.
"Real possibility," the coach 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 we heard Kerr say hours prior.
"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."
[RELATED: Kerr reveals when Warriors told Klay he was out for Game 3]
If Looney doesn't return for Game 4 on Friday night, the next Warriors games would be Game 5 on Monday and a potential Game 6 next Thursday.
The Warriors certainly missed the 23-year-old big man in their 123-109 Game 3 loss on Wednesday, as they could have used his defense and versatility.
