Programming note: Watch the pregame edition of Warriors Outsiders tonight at 6, streaming live on the MyTeams app.
With 8:39 remaining in the third quarter of the Warriors' Game 2 loss to the Clippers, Steph Curry was called for a very questionable offensive foul.
He immediately went to the bench with the Warriors leading by 28 points.
The 4th foul against Steph Curry last night = absolutely awful. There is zero reason to call an offensive foul here. So bad pic.twitter.com/zyzR9hWqK8— Drew Shiller (@DrewShiller) April 16, 2019
When he checked back in with 13.5 seconds left in the period, the lead was down to 16. Curry then aided the Clippers' momentum.
Sports
Here's how the Warriors closed the 3rd quarter last night. Yikes pic.twitter.com/HK99JrWlQH— Drew Shiller (@DrewShiller) April 16, 2019
"If he has four fouls with eight minutes left in the third quarter, I'm taking him out again -- especially if we're up 25," Steve Kerr said on 95.7 The Game on Wednesday evening. "What we want to do is avoid foul trouble."
Over the years, that has been easier said than done for the two-time NBA MVP. Curry is known to reach and go for steals, and it came back to haunt him on Monday night.
Steph Curry's first foul in Game 2 didn't look like a foul, but the ref penalized him for reaching pic.twitter.com/KBuXHG6VpM— Drew Shiller (@DrewShiller) April 18, 2019
Steph Curry's 2nd foul in Game 2 was definitely a foul as he reached and made contact with Lou Williams (Curry was not happy with himself) pic.twitter.com/F4e4oSYV7H— Drew Shiller (@DrewShiller) April 18, 2019
Steph Curry picked up his 3rd foul early in the 3rd quarter of Game 2 trying to stay attached to a driving Pat Beverley (he should have just let him go and then chase/recover) pic.twitter.com/nA2UP4xY7y— Drew Shiller (@DrewShiller) April 18, 2019
"Steph's gotta do a better job and he knows that," Kerr said. "His ill-advised reaching is just killing him because he doesn't need to do that. He's much more important to us than two points for the opposition.
"I told him, 'If you're beat, show your hands (and) don't reach. Maybe a big blocks the shot and if they score they score, but we need you out on the floor.'"
[RELATED: Why Draymond isn't encouraging KD to shoot the ball more]
Curry was sensational in Game 1, racking up 38 points (on 16 shots), 15 rebounds and seven assists.
In Game 2, he dominated by scoring 22 points in the first half. But sitting most of the third quarter disrupted his rhythm. He went 2-for-9 from the field in the fourth quarter and committed two turnovers.
You should expect a big game from No. 30 tonight, as he has played quite well against the Clippers at Staples Center lately:
-Feb. 2, 2017 = 29 points, 11-for-23 FG
-Oct. 30, 2017 = 31 points, 9-for-14 FG
-Jan. 6, 2018 = 45 points, 11-for-21 FG
-Jan. 18, 2019 = 28 points, 10-for-19 FG
