Programming note: Watch the pregame edition of Warriors Outsiders on Saturday afternoon at 4, streaming live on the MyTeams app.
Foul trouble has been an issue for Steph Curry throughout these NBA playoffs.
In Game 1 of the Warriors' second-round series against the Rockets, he picked up his fourth foul with 4:34 remaining in the third quarter
Fortunately for Golden State, Kevin Durant took over and the Warriors turned a tie game into a seven-point lead entering the fourth.
"That's my biggest issue with a superstar like Steph, and I know Steph's mindset," the 2015 NBA Finals MVP explained to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports after the Warriors' win on Sunday. "His mindset is, ‘OK, this is how we're playing. We're playing physical. I'm just getting slapped and held and pulled down every time and I'm getting two hands on my drives. This is what the refs are allowing. So, they're letting us play.'
"So when he's guarding, he's like, ‘OK, I can play this way,' and then when he's guarding it's [whistle, whistle]. And then he's like, ‘Damn, now I got three fouls.' People always ask why he's fouling, but that's how he's being guarded, so why wouldn't he think he can't play physical like that?"
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In Game 2 on Tuesday night, Curry picked up his fourth foul with 6:43 remaining in the third quarter. This time, the score went from 76-63 Dubs to 82-65 heading into the final frame.
The Warriors ended up winning to take a 2-0 series lead. But afterwards, it sounded like Iguodala was singing a little bit of a different tune.
"Just try to keep out of situations where he can foul," Andre Iguodala told Ethan Strauss of The Athletic. "It's not the fourth and fifth foul that gets him. It's the second and third one.
"He's the only superstar who gets five fouls. I don't know, it's mind-boggling. It's like, yo that one, you didn't need to get that one. Just let it go."
Watch for yourself to see how and why the two-time NBA MVP is getting himself into trouble.
Steph Curry's first foul in Game 2 was completely avoidable. There's no reason to go for the steal here and he should be getting back on defense anyway (also, Chris Paul certainly knows how to sell a call) pic.twitter.com/uqNVCYSqSW— Drew Shiller (@DrewShiller) May 1, 2019
Steph Curry's second foul in Game 2 was a result of him getting a little too aggressive after initially playing some great defense on James Harden pic.twitter.com/jGWGgtJ832— Drew Shiller (@DrewShiller) May 1, 2019
Steph Curry's fourth foul in Game 2 probably shouldn't have been called. But he reached from behind and put the referee in position to blow the whistle pic.twitter.com/JQ7YLz3DrA— Drew Shiller (@DrewShiller) May 1, 2019
Steph Curry's fifth foul in Game 2 was the right call as he held Clint Capela rolling to the basket pic.twitter.com/SWsKZn3PWi— Drew Shiller (@DrewShiller) May 1, 2019
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Curry works very hard on the defensive end and truly cares about being stout on that side of the floor. He trusts his hand-eye coordination and does come up with a lot of steals and deflections.
But he can make an impact without gambling and coming up short. Head coach Steve Kerr has repeatedly said that he would prefer the opponent to get an extra bucket or two if it means Curry remains on the court.
As Iguodala said, "just let it go" Mr. Curry.