Jimmy Butler makes Stephen Curry realization Warriors fans have known for years

The Houston Rockets continued their excellent form and snapped the Golden State Warriors' five-game winning-streak with a 106-96 win at Chase Center on Sunday.

In what was a tough, defensive-minded matchup, the Rockets kept superstar guard Stephen Curry to just three points on 1-of-10 shooting in what became arguably the biggest talking point to emerge from the game.

Jimmy Butler goes into defend Warriors teammate Stephen Curry

Opposing teams are acutely aware of Curry's threat all the time, but perhaps even more so after three-straight games in which the 2x MVP combined for 125 points and led the Warriors to huge wins over the Memphis Grizzlies, Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets.

The two-seed Rockets were out to make sure they didn't suffer a similar fate, even if it meant stretching the boundaries of what is or isn't legal when it comes to defense. Curry's performance was disappointing regardless of the officiating, but fellow veteran star Jimmy Butler didn't mince his words in the post-game.

Butler went into defend Curry, suggesting that what the Rockets were doing wasn't actually defense as Golden State were kept to under 100 points for only the third time since their blockbuster mid-season trade.

"They did a good job of whatever you want to call it," Butler said after the game. "I've never seen an individual get fouled more than he gets fouled. To me, it's astounding. He's used to it. It's been happening to him his whole career. He's found a way through it, around it, under it, whatever you want to call it."

While it may be the first time that Butler has brought this up publicly, Golden State fans are well aware of the the unfriendly whistle that Curry has garnered from referees for well over a decade. It's often a discussed topic across social media, particularly in games like these where the 37-year-old is guarded in a way that no other player in the league has had to endure.

Of the top 20 average scorers in the league this season, no one has averaged less than Curry's 4.3 free-throw attempts per game. While Curry's perimeter game is always likely to generate less free-throws, the significant disparity is a constant frustration for Warrior fans.

It might be a good thing that Butler has said this now and put it on the agenda on the eve of the playoffs, especially when opposing teams are only likely to do more to try and get away with grabbing Curry off the ball and other questionable defensive tactics.