SACRAMENTO -- Down by two points going into halftime, the third quarter Sunday at Golden 1 Center opened with a Kevon Looney defensive rebound. On the other side of the court, Steph Curry gave the Warriors a one-point lead with a step-back 3-pointer.
The Sacramento Kings' only lead the rest of the way was one minute and 17 seconds into the second half when two Kevin Huerter free throws put them up 61-59. The Warriors dominated the final 22-plus minutes on their way to a 20-point Game 7 win against the Kings on the backs of Curry and Looney.
One already has proven he's an all-time great, and only added to his legacy with a historic 50-point performance. The other keeps quietly dusting his competition, smiling at everyone else getting headlines and accolades.
"I think Loon is one of the best centers in the league," Steve Kerr said after the Warriors' win. "I really do. People don't recognize because he's not dunking and shooting threes and all that stuff. But this guy is a flat-out winner and he's a machine.
"We wouldn't be here without him."
Looney averaged a career high in points this season, his eighth as a pro with the Warriors. His 7.0 points per game also ranked eighth on his own team. He played all 82 regular-season games and finished with 68 dunks, none exactly hitting highlight reels across social media platforms.
He took one 3-pointer in a 24-point blowout win, and it didn't swish through the net.
Golden State Warriors
And none of that matters. He's a combination of old-school with his relentless hard work, grinding for rebounds and thriving in all the little things that matter to rack up wins. He's also a combination of new-school, standing as a 6-foot-9 center who bodies bigger players and works as a playmaker out of the post and off pick-and-rolls.
Sunday's first-round conclusion which was a heavyweight fight for all seven games flipped in the third quarter. Looney scored two points in the period, Curry scored 14. Both might have been equally important as the Warriors outscored the Kings 35-23 and held a 10-point lead going into the fourth.
Through the first two quarters, Looney had eight rebounds. He came down with 10 alone in the third quarter, including seven on the offensive glass. The Kings attempted five more shots than the Warriors in the first half, and the Warriors, in a large part thanks to Looney, took 10 more than the Kings in the third quarter.
"Everything started with Kevon," Draymond Green said. "... Where it started with Loon was dominating the glass. Once we dominated the glass, it allowed us to show how good our defense had been. Once we did that, it allowed us to set our offense, get good offensive possessions and we connected the game together.
"Kevon Looney was huge."
The Warriors had a 14-rebound advantage in the third quarter, snatching 23 compared to only nine by the Kings. Golden State also grabbed 13 offensive rebounds in the third, tied for the most by any team for a quarter, regular season or playoffs, in the last 20 years. As a team, the Warriors had 33 rebounds in the second half.
The Kings had 21.
Looney himself had 13 boards in the second half. His counterpart, Kings All-Star center Domantas Sabonis, had three.
"That's what makes it fun," Looney said. "If you're doing all the hard work, pushing and shoving and getting hit with elbows, doing it all to get extra possessions for your team and to see them make a shot and change momentum -- it's just a great feeling.
"I know it helps us win. I live for those moments."
Coming into the series, much was made about what a size advantage the Kings had, especially with Sabonis on their side. Green would have his go at the 7-footer but not all game. Nobody predicted the Warriors would have an advantage down low.
In reality, Looney completely outplayed someone who likely is bound for an All-NBA team.
Over the course of the seven-game series, Looney totaled 29 more rebounds than Sabonis in 32 fewer minutes. Sabonis averaged 11.0 rebounds, 77 in total. Looney averaged 15.1 rebounds, racking up a total of 106. Remember, Sabonis was the NBA's rebounding leader in the regular season, averaging 12.3 per game -- three more than Looney's 9.3 average.
Prior to Game 5 in Sacramento, Sabonis was honored for his rebounding title and lifted his award to the delight of Kings fans. What happened next was the Warriors outlasting the Kings, and Looney being a plus-8 with 22 rebounds. Sabonis was a minus-1 with 10 rebounds.
Everything came down to Game 7. Looney saved his best for last, giving the Warriors an 11-point, 21-rebound double-double. He was a plus-22 after snatching 11 defensive rebounds and 10 offensive. Sabonis, who scored 22 points to go with eight rebounds, was a minus-22.
RELATED: Curry saves Warriors with unbelievable performance vs. Kings
So much faced the Warriors. A continuation of a dynasty or an offseason of question marks. Their superstar was a superstar. Their Venus Flytrap frustrated the Kings one final time, one rebound at a time.
Looney became the third Warrior with 20 or more rebounds three times or more in a single playoff series, joining Wilt Chamberlain and Nate Thurmond. He's the first player since Dwight Howard in 2008 to accomplish the feat. The first two names are Hall of Famers, and Howard has a strong case to one day wear an orange jacket as well.
Overcoming too many trials and tribulations to count, Looney is more than a good story. He's an elite center, who has established himself as a core contributor to the Warriors being everything they are as winners and, ultimately, champions.
There's only one Steph Curry. Luckily for the Warriors, there's only one Kevon Looney.