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OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry said he disagreed with the NBA's decision to fine him $5,000 for violating the league's anti-flopping rules against the Houston Rockets in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals.
The league said Wednesday that the NBA MVP exaggerated contact after his 3-pointer with 3:07 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Warriors' 110-106 victory on Tuesday night. Curry made the shot and fell to the court after getting bumped by defender Terrence Jones. The shot gave Golden State a 106-97 lead.
"I don't agree with it," Curry said. "I watched the play over, and it was a transition play, so obviously balance is not very good in that situation. I take a little contact, get some space off. I didn't even see, whoever it was, Terrence, I didn't see him, and then when I shoot it, I see somebody coming and hit me in my arm, and when you're up in the air, it was obviously a reaction to that.
"That play happens countless times. I wasn't even looking for a foul. I just reacted to the contact that was on my arm and what have you. So I don't agree with it at all."
Curry said he has never personally been warned about flopping and nobody with the league spoke to him about the play before he was informed of the fine.
"They didn't even talk to me about the play at all, so I figured they'd call and ask what you were doing or what you saw during the play, kind of get my side of it, not just what footage they were looking at," Curry said. "But it's all right."
Warriors coach Steve Kerr stuck up for his star player, saying he was "morally outraged" by the fine.
"Everybody does it, so all of a sudden just randomly to fine Steph just seems kind of strange," he said. "Are we just choosing one time to do this? You can pick out flops every single game from half the guys out on the floor, so it just seems sort of random."
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Antonio Gonzalez can be reached at: www.twitter.com/agonzalezAP
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