There always seems to be a little bit of extra animosity floating around whenever the Warriors and the Los Angeles Clippers get together, and that remained the case Sunday night.
With 9:31 remaining in the second quarter at Oracle Arena, Warriors guard Stephen Curry was promptly fouled after outmuscling three Clippers players for an offensive rebound. Curry, in celebration of his effort, raised his arms and momentarily flexed in front of Patrick Beverley, something to which the LA guard didn't take too kindly.
Beverley swiped at the ball as Curry dribbled away from the crowd and gave the two-time NBA MVP a nudge in the back. Curry, in turn, took exception.
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That was the extent of the confrontation, which resulted in matching technicals for the competing guards. It was a trade-off the Clippers would take any chance they can get, and Warriors coach Steve Kerr was none too happy about it.
This, of course, was not the first time Curry and Beverley were involved in a scuffle. Midway through the first quarter of Game 1 of the 2016 first-round playoff series between the Warriors and the Houston Rockets, Beverley tripped Curry, igniting a shoving match between the players that also resulted in matching technicals.
Beverley is known as one of the most effective irritants in the league, and it didn't take long for him to live up to the billing Sunday.