Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry was caught on camera trash talking NBA rival Chris Paul in the 123-112 win over the Phoenix Suns on Monday night.
NBA superstar Curry, 35, had 23 points on an efficient 7-of-13 shooting clip, including 4 of 6 on threes, helping the Warriors extend their Western Conference record to 36-33, placing them fifth and putting them on a two-game win streak.
For one of Curry’s buckets, he bullied Paul along the baseline on his way to the hoop, and in the aftermath the point guard appeared to trash talk his rival, saying: “This ain't 2014 no more."
Curry is referring to when Paul's former team, the Los Angeles Clippers, eliminated the Warriors in the 2014 playoffs. At that point in time, the now Suns ace, Paul, was stronger than Curry and more savvy.
That series is still the last time Golden State lost in the playoffs before the NBA Finals, as they went on to win four of the next eight titles. Throughout that time, Paul has remained without a championship. And Since that 2014 playoff series, Curry is 14-8 against Paul in the regular season, and 2-0 against him in the playoff series.
But Paul responded brilliantly to Curry’s taunt in the locker room when he acted like he had no idea what happened in 2014. “I don't know what happened in 2014?”, said Paul when asked about Curry’s trash talk. Paul, 37, continued: “I don’t know about 2014. I ain’t even trying to be funny. You’ve got to ask him, I don’t know what happened in 2014.”
Curry and Paul go way back before 2014. Curry used to attend Paul's elite camp. The two of them even trained together before Curry's rookie year on a Paul family vacation to Disney World.
The win moved the Warriors into a tie with the Clippers for fifth, and they will head to Los Angeles for a crucial game against them on Wednesday.
Curry and Paul might renew their rivalry in the playoffs as the teams are now fourth and fifth in the Western Conference. Paul and the Suns would relish the opportunity to get one over on their rivals.
