Steph Curry was visibly frustrated after the Golden State Warriors double-overtime loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday night, ripping his jersey as he left the Chase Center court.
Another back-and-forth battle against LeBron James ended in despair for Curry, as his 46 points and seven assists were not enough, the Warriors ending up on the wrong side of a 145-144 scoreline.
James’ triple-double of 36 points, 20 rebounds, and 12 assists was completed by a pair of made free throws after he was fouled by Draymond Green with 1.2 seconds remaining in the sixth period of the contest.
Curry was cordial to James and the rest of his opponents right after the buzzer, but the rip of his jersey came not too soon afterward.
After Curry ripped his jersey on the hardwood, he kept his head down in dejection until out of sight walking to the locker room.
Steph Curry ripped his jersey while walking off the Chase Center court in a rare move of anger.
Curry and LeBron James have had many classic battles, with Saturday’s now included.
Unlike his teammate Green, Curry does not have a history of angry behavior in the NBA, making the jersey rip stand out.
The frustration might also stem from holding a 15-point lead over the Lakers midway through the third quarter.
The defeat was the latest negative in a disappointing season for the Warriors. Despite the high-level talent of Curry, Green, and Klay Thompson, Golden State is 19-24 and three games behind the Lakers and Jazz for the final spot in the Play-In Tournament.
The comeback victory puts the Lakers two games clear of dropping out of a Play-In spot, with Houston in between Los Angeles and Golden State in the standings.
Curry has been with the Warriors for the last 15 years, rarely showing that level of frustration.
Steph just ripped his jersey while walking off the court 😡😬 pic.twitter.com/OdmUsEaKT1
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) January 28, 2024
Last season, Los Angeles eliminated Golden State from the postseason in six games before being swept by the eventual NBA champion Denver Nuggets in the Conference Finals.
It was the second consecutive one-point loss for the Warriors, who fell to the Sacramento Kings on Thursday night in another rematch from the 2023 postseason.
The Lakers and Warriors play three more times in the regular season, all on national television, with the next one coming February 22.
