Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry shrugged off the shouting incident he was involved with Houston Rockets coach Ime Udoka at halftime of their costly 106-96 loss on Sunday.
Curry poked fun at the tense moment between him and the Rockets coach and used the opportunity to promote his wife’s restaurant.
“[Udoka] made a reservation to International Smoke and canceled it. I was upset with him,” Curry told reporters in jest that had his longtime teammate Draymond Green laughing hard beside him on the podium.
But Udoka and the Rockets had the last laugh as they held Curry to his worst game: 3 points on 1-of-10 shooting.
It was a statement win for the No. 2 seed Rockets whose defensive game plan to bottle up Curry and dare his supporting cast to try to beat them succeeded.
Curry went into Sunday’s game on a hot streak, scoring 125 points over the Warriors’ last three games in three different cities in four nights. But the Rockets came prepared.
It was a long night for Curry and the Warriors, who slipped to No. 6 after the brutal loss.
Jimmy Butler Stands up for Steph Curry
Curry’s co-star Jimmy Butler failed to rescue the Warriors from the Rockets suffocating and physical defense as he only scored 13 points on seven shots. But he spoke up for Curry over what he felt was an unfair treatment from the game officials.
Curry did not attempt any free throw against the Rockets’ very physical defense.
“They did a good whatever you want to call it,” Butler sarcastically told reporters.
Butler made it clear he was not only referring to the Rockets game.
“I’ve never seen an individual get fouled more than he gets fouled,” Butler continued. “To me, I think that’s astounding. It’s crazy to say, but he’s used to it. It’s been happening to him his whole career and he’s found a way through it, around it, under it—whatever you want to call it. It’s tough.”
Now that he is on Curry’s side and seen it up close, Butler is mad and he feels for his teammate.
“It’s been happening for 16 straight years and I get to see it, and it really angers me that he’s on my team and he gets hacked like that,” Butler told reporters.
The Warriors entered Sunday’s game No. 1 in free throws made (20.8) and No. 3 in free throw attempts since Butler joined them after the trade deadline. They only made 11 trips to the free throw line and made six against the Rockets.
