Through halftime of Game 3, Stephen Curry was shooting 3-of-20 on 3-pointers in the Western Conference finals. The Rockets targeted him relentlessly while he was on defense. The Warriors had been outscored with him on the court.
For days, questions swirled.
Is Curry overrated? Is he too soft to withstand the pressure Houston was applying? Is he still injured?
Curry answered in an an emotional third quarter of Game 3: No, no, no. The Golden State superstar scored 18 points on 7-of-7 shooting, including 2-of-2 on 3-pointers, in the period.
Along the way, he shimmied:
Oh yes he did! pic.twitter.com/0TAQepZXUn
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) May 21, 2018
And after another made basket, he removed his mouthpiece and stayed behind the play to declare,"This is my f—ing house:"
In case you didn't know, this is @StephenCurry30's house pic.twitter.com/BZaZt33nGW
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) May 21, 2018
That was quite a moment for Curry.
Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area:So hyper-aware of it was Curry that had a ready response when asked about it after the Warriors laid a 126-85 beating on the Rockets in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals.
“I already know,” he said.
“I blacked out,” Curry explained, his tongue planted firmly in his cheek. “I blacked out.”
People close to Curry didn’t miss it – nor did the many fans watching.
NBC Sports Bay Area:
Klay hopes Riley didn't see Steph's potty mouth 🤬😂 pic.twitter.com/VjN69THD4d
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) May 21, 2018
Chris Haynes of ESPN:
His mother, Sonya Curry, was pleased with her son’s performance, but not with his mouth.
“She already sent me two home videos, showing me the clip and playing it back,” Curry told ESPN. “She was telling me how I need to wash my mouth out, saying to wash it out with soap. It’s a message I’ve heard before.”
It was Curry’s breakout game in this series, but he is a devout Christian and says he understands why he received such a scolding.
“She’s right,” Curry told ESPN. “I gotta do better. I can’t talk like that.”
Curry has cultivated such a wholesome image despite massive amounts of showboating and taunting on the court. If his previous boastful behavior didn’t turn off anyone, this incident probably won’t, either.
No matter how he’s marketed, Curry is an exceptionally intense competitor. That’s a huge part of what makes him a great player, and it’s not always polite when that side shines through.
I won’t start chiding Curry for playing with emotion and, gasp, swearing. I’d much rather appreciate his passion.
I’d also prefer if we appreciate similar passion from all players rather than applying a double standard.