An agitated Stephen Curry calls out refs after Christmas loss: "Cater to the guys that sell calls"
Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors got their five-game winning streak snapped by the defending champions Denver Nuggets on Christmas Day. The Nuggets beat the Warriors, 120-114, at the Ball Arena located in the Mile High City in Denver, Colorado.
The Warriors were leading by just one point at halftime and came out flat in the second half to lose by six. Four-time NBA champion Stephen Curry claimed that the officiating was not balanced and suggested the referees were falling into the trap of players who tried to sell calls.
"It does cater to the guys that can sells calls," said Curry right after the game. "There's physicality, its tough because it's inconsistent at times on either side just what is the tone of the game and from game to game, it changes."
On the other side, the Denver Nuggets showed why they are still one of the top teams in the NBA Western Conference. Jamal Murray led the charge and provided 28 points, along with five rebounds, three assists, two steals, and 55% shooting of his 18 attempts.
Former league MVP Nikola Jokic had a hard time shooting the ball, doing only 4-of-12 from the field, but made it up by going perfect from the free throw line, 18-of-18. The Serbian center tallied 26 points, 14 rebounds, and eight assists.
Stephen Curry struggles on Christmas Day as Denver Nuggets snap Golden State Warriors' winning streak
It was an off night for Stephen Curry as he went 7-of-21 from the field to finish with a subpar 18 points against the Denver Nuggets. He shot a total of 13 three-pointers but made only three.
Leading the Warriors in scoring was Andrew Wiggins, shooting 7-of-11 from the field to chip in 22 points, three rebounds, and two assists. Dario Saric contributed 14 points while Brandin Podziemski and Jonathan Kuminga each had 13 markers.
The Golden State Warriors have a chance to bounce back in their next game against the Miami Heat as they host them in the Chase Center in San Francisco, California on December 28. The team caps off the year battling the Dallas Mavericks at the same venue on the 30th.
On the other hand, the Denver Nuggets will be taking on the Memphis Grizzlies next on December 28 and cap off the year against the OKC Thunder the next day. Both games will be played at the Ball Arena in Colorado.