NBA announced Friday that Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry received a $25,000 fine for throwing his mouth guard in court during his 122-120 team victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.
Curry was expelled with only 73 seconds left in Wednesday’s game at the Chase Center after getting angry with teammate Jordan Poole. Curry wanted to try shooting from the logo and pointed out to Poole that it was open, but Poole chose to shoot him himself. Poole missed the shot, and Curry took a little when he ran through the court to defend himself again.
Curry took out his bodyguard and threw him in court, which caused a quick ejection.
” The crucial time of the game and how our season went,” Curry told reporters after the game. ” There are questions about the increased sense of urgency in every detail that matters. When you want something so bad like winning and in the fourth quarter, execution, clutch, all that matters, so I reacted in a way that put me off and put the team in a difficult position.
” But the intentions and energy around what matters in the direction of victory, that’s what it’s all about. Luckily, my teammates answered very well. Klay [Thompson] with a big shot. JP with the winner of the game at the end. The execution was great. We needed this one, so there was a sense of urgency. I let my emotions get in the way.”
Steve Kerr was more focused on Curry knowing he can’t let his emotions control him like this.
“I didn’t see what happened back then, so I was confused when the report called it, and then the coaches told me he threw the mouthpiece out of anger,” Kerr told reporters Wednesday night. “And I think he threw it in the stands? On the side, yes. So I think this is an automatic ejection. He knows he can’t make that mistake anymore. But I was really proud of the boys. They fought and executed and achieved victory.”
This was the third time Curry threw his mouthpiece, with the other two coming to the 2016 and 2017 NBA Finals also against the grizzlies, but this was the first time it wasn’t due to a disagreement with a referee call.
The good news for Curry and the Warriors is the NBA won’t suspend him, so he’ll be available to play against the Toronto Raptors Friday night at the Chase Center.