Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – Golden State superstar Stephen Curry says the Warriors will have to show their resiliency after failing to close out the Houston Rockets in game five of their bruising NBA Western Conference playoff series. Curry has won four titles with the Warriors, but says the current team — bolstered by the mid-season acquisition of Jimmy Butler — “is trying to do this for the first time together.”
“And I love that challenge, because we have an opportunity to write our own story and how we bounce back,” Curry said. “We’ve had a pretty resilient group over the last two months, and it has to show on Friday.”
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Warriors coach Steve Kerr threw in the towel early on Wednesday, pulling his starters with more than five minutes left in the third quarter and the Warriors down by 29. The Rockets cut the series deficit to 3-2, but Butler said the comprehensive defeat won’t change anything when the Warriors have their next chance to close out the series.
“Our confidence isn’t going to waver,” Butler promised. “We’re going to start out better. We’re going to play a better overall game.” But they’ll also be ready for another physical encounter, including what Warriors veteran Draymond Green called “pretty obvious” attempts by Dillon Brooks to target Curry’s sprained right thumb, making contact after Curry released his shots when a foul would not be called.
“I’ve been playing the game,” an unrepentant Brooks said when told Golden State’s local broadcast commentators had remarked on the tactic. “If (someone) had an injured ankle, I would attack that ankle every single time,” he added.
Kerr said he didn’t think Curry, who was injured in December and has been playing with a stabilizing wrap on his thumb, was affected — and noted that the swipes were within the rules. “The rule in the NBA is once the shot has been released, you’re allowed to hit the guy’s arm,” he said. “So players all over the league are just taking shots at guys’ shooting hands after the release, because they know it’s not going to be a foul. I’m very confident next year the league will fix it, because it’s only a matter of time before somebody breaks a thumb or hand.”
Curry said he tries to ignore the contact. “There’s a subtle difference in how certain people do it,” he said. “But if you dwell on it and get distracted, then you’re not worried about making shots. I’m trying to do both, make shots and if I get fouled, let them know I got fouled.”
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