The Golden State Warriors suffered a humbling defeat at the hands of the Houston Rockets on Sunday, April. 6. Ime Udoka’s team set the tone, both in intensity and physicality, often fouling Stephen Curry to limit his overall impact on the game.
During his postgame news conference, Jimmy Butler shared his frustration at how little protection Curry receives from the game officials. The veteran forward explained that Curry is consistently fouled without getting a whistle and is then forced to fight through the contact despite having a case to get to the free-throw line.
“I’ve never seen an individual get fouled more than he gets fouled,” Butler said. “To me, I think that’s astounding…It’s been happening for 16 straight years and I get to see it, and it really angers me that he’s on my team and he gets hacked like that. He’s found a way through it, around it, under it—whatever you want to call it.”
According to Cleaning The Glass, Curry has drawn a foul on 8.2% of his shots this season, placing him in the 46th percentile throughout the NBA. When you think of the gravity Curry possesses and how hard the opposing team’s closeout ot him on the perimeter is, that number does seem incredibly low.
While Butler’s frustration is undoubtedly warranted, it’s unlikely that his comments will have much impact on how the officials protect Curry. Fortunately for the Warriors, the superstar guard has found ways to counter how opposing defenses play him, and he continues to be one of the most impactful scorers in the NBA.
This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
