Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry, right, drives the ball against Houston Rockets’ Trevor Ariza during the second half of Game 1 of the NBA basketball Western Conference finals Tuesday, May 19, 2015, in Oakland, Calif. The Warriors won 110-106. AP PHOTO.
NEW YORK—National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player Stephen Curry was fined $5,000 by the NBA on Wednesday for “flopping,” but the Golden State Warriors guard insisted he didn’t fall to try to draw a foul.
Curry was fined for an incident in the fourth quarter of the Warriors’ 110-106 victory over the Houston Rockets on Tuesday in game one of the Western Conference finals.
He had just drained a three-pointer that gave Golden State a 106-97 lead when he was bumped by Houston’s Terrence Jones and fell to the court.
READ: Warriors rally past Rockets 110-106 in Game 1 of West finals
The league judged the fall violated rules against “flopping” — falling to draw a foul.
“I don’t agree with it,” Curry said Wednesday. “I watched the play over and, transition play, so obviously balance is not very good in that situation.”
Added Curry: “That play happens countless times. I wasn’t even looking for the foul. I was just reacting to the contact.”
Warriors coach Steve Kerr also disagreed with the fine — not because Curry’s move wasn’t a flop, but because such falls, from minimal contact, are so common.
“Are we just choosing one time to do this?” Kerr said. “You can pick out flops every single game from half the guys on the floor.”
The Warriors, who posted the best record in the NBA in the regular season, will try to extend their lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference finals on Thursday when they host the Rockets in game two.
The winners of the series will face the Eastern Conference champions in the NBA finals.