The Golden State Warriors are looking for their 41st win of the season as they go head-to-head against the Dallas Mavericks. It is a highly-anticipated matchup with both teams on a recent hot streak. Stephen Curry and Co. have won 4 straight games, and the Mavs have gone undefeated in their last 7 outings. As both teams tried to extend their winning streak, things got heated early in the game between Steph and the officials.
Early in the first quarter, Stephen Curry dribbled past his defender and drove to the basket for a layup attempt. Curry was stopped inside the paint by two Mavs defenders, causing him to throw an airball. The bump from the defenders caused Steph to scream and fall to the floor. Despite the heavy contact, the officials did not blow the whistle for a foul and let the play continue. Steph was visibly frustrated by the no-call and gestured towards the referee while on the floor. The controversial play even ignited a social media war between two fans.
One fan trolled Stephen Curry on X for screaming during the play after getting bodied by two defenders. “Damn, he screamed and flailed and still didn’t get the call. Yall might have a real beef #warriorsfans”
A Warriors fan account by the name of LoonMuse defended Steph, claiming he screamed because he legitimately got fouled on the play, “‘Damn, he screamed and flailed and still didn’t get the call’ No, he just got fouled.”
The fan also shared a still image of the defender’s arm hitting Steph’s chest and affecting his shooting motion. So, it was evident why Steph was livid at the official after the no-call.
Can Stephen Curry and Co. keep their winning streak alive?
The Dallas Mavericks have been hard to beat recently. Luka Doncic has singlehandedly lifted the Mavs to the 5th seed in the Western Conference and strengthened his MVP claim. Luka has averaged 30.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 9.8 assists in his last 10 appearances. So, it will not be easy for the Warriors to keep their winning streak alive tonight. The first half of the game went back and forth, ending with the score tied at 49-49.
Steph looked in decent form as he finished the half with 11 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists. He was on fire from deep, hitting 3 of his 4 three-point attempts. But Steph’s valiant effort was not enough to keep Luka Doncic and Co. away. The Warriors struggled to guard Luka and Kyrie as they combined for 29 points in the first half. Steve Kerr will need to make adjustments in the second half to keep the Mavs at bay.
The Warriors got some breathing room in the heated playoff race after the Mavericks snapped the Houston Rockets’ 11-game winning streak this Sunday. Stephen Curry and Co. are two wins ahead of the 11th-seeded Rockets and more likely to face the Lakers in the play-in tournament. But with 7 games remaining in the regular season, they need to extend the difference as far as they can to keep their playoff dream alive.
