Getty Steph Curry reacts to a play in a game against the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Golden State Warriors saw a very different side of Steph Curry in Thursday’s blowout loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.
In the third quarter of what would eventually be a 130-104 loss to Golden State’s Pacific Division rival, cameras caught Curry getting fired up while trying to inspire better play out of his teammates. The outburst caught the attention of team insiders, who said it was a side of the former NBA MVP that they’ve rarely, if ever, seen before. After the game, Curry revealed what got him so unusually heated.
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Curry Tries to Fire up Teammates
The Warriors went into Thursday’s game looking to move beyond the three-game losing streak that dropped them out of the playoff picture before the All-Star break, but stumbled early as the Clippers pulled away for the blowout win. It was also a difficult game for Curry, who had one of his worst performances of the year, scoring 14 points on 6-of-16 from the field including just 1-of-8 from behind the three-point arc.
With the Clippers pulling away in the third quarter, Curry tried for an out-of-character approach. During a timeout, he was seen getting very animated as he tried to fire up his teammates.
The outburst caught the attention of ESPN reporter Nick Friedell, who noted on Twitter that he had not seen that kind of fire from Curry before.
“I can’t remember seeing Steph this angry during a game. And definitely not this emotional in a huddle,” Friedell wrote. “He’s usually one of the calmest guys on the floor.”
When’s the last time you’ve seen Steph do this? t.co/Zc90yLMreJ
Others noted how unusual it was to see Curry getting angry. During the game’s broadcast on TNT, color commentator Reggie Miller commended Curry for showing a bit of passion while trying to inspire his teammates.
“That might be the most animated I’ve ever seen him during a game,” Miller said, via SFGate. “There’s a sense of urgency here. It’s good to see that from Curry.”
Curry Explains Outburst
After the game, Curry explained that he was just responding to what his team needed at the moment.
“It’s always about what’s happening in the moment. That’s just basketball,” Curry said, via USA Today. “Try to bring a competitive spirit and leadership in all different type of ways. But we had an opportunity to set the tone for the second half of the season tonight, and obviously didn’t do it.”
Curry added that the entire vibe of the season now feels different, with every contest growing in importance as the team goes down the stretch. He said that every game now feels like two, and it can become an emotional roller coaster where he tries to keep an even keel.
Steph Curry said “every game feels like two” for the Warriors this season
Curry added that it’s frustrating that the team has not risen to the challenge.
“That is a frustrating thing, for sure,” he said, via USA Today. “We have to find that if we want to be a threat in the playoffs.”
The team’s upcoming stretch could prove whether the Warriors are a playoff team. The next two games are against a pair of the top teams in the Western Conference, the Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Lakers.
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