Warriors Fume as Rockets Target Curry’s Injured Thumb

With 8:20 remaining in the first quarter, Stephen Curry attempted a 3-pointer while being closely guarded by Alperen Sengun and Dillon Brooks of the Houston Rockets. Brooks’ right arm made contact with Curry’s injured right thumb just after he released the shot. No foul was called, leaving Curry visibly frustrated as he motioned toward the officials. Golden State coach Steve Kerr also voiced his concerns to the referees.

After the Rockets’ 131-116 victory in Game 5 on Wednesday, Curry, Kerr, and the Warriors were asked if Brooks and the Rockets had targeted Curry’s thumb intentionally. While the Warriors didn’t address the issue directly, Curry commented, “If it’s a foul, they should call it.” Curry has been dealing with the thumb injury since January, and it flared up again near the end of the regular season.

Curry played with the thumb wrapped and regularly iced it after games. Despite the injury, he insisted it wasn’t affecting his performance. In Game 5, Curry scored 13 points and dished out 7 assists in 23 minutes. However, he struggled with his shot, making just 10-of-25 field goals and 5-of-17 from beyond the arc over the last two games.

Warriors forward Draymond Green also noticed the thumb targeting but didn’t make a big deal of it. “It’s pretty obvious, but it is what it is,” Green said. Kerr, on the other hand, raised concerns about the NBA rules that allow players to hit a shooter’s arm after the shot is released without being penalized. He suggested the league should reconsider this next season to prevent injuries, as players are exploiting the rule.

Rockets’ Brooks brushed off the accusations, saying, “If [someone] had an injured ankle, I would attack that ankle every single time.” Despite trailing by 31 points in Game 5, the Warriors remain confident, drawing on their championship experience. Green compared the situation to their 2022 title run, where they came back after a similar loss to Memphis. Kerr, along with Green and Curry, is confident that the Warriors will bounce back in Game 6 on Friday.