Stephen Curry was a tad bit frustrated after Warriors coach Steve Kerr subbed him out for Shaun Livingston in Golden State's final defensive possession against the Cavaliers on Christmas Day. Curry didn't disagree with Kerr's decision and from a competitive standpoint, he was disappointed that he wasn't in the game.
Speaking with reporters on Tuesday, Kerr understood Curry's frustrations but made it clear that Livingston was inserted into the game for defensive purposes. And since Kerr has such a great relationship with Curry, he wasn't too concerned about the Warriors star's attitude because after all, "he's a big boy."
From the Mercury News' Anthony Slater:
"It's (Kerr's) call obviously, but the competitive nature, you want to be out there to make a play," Curry said. "That'll never die in me."
...
"We wanted more length," Kerr said. "Shaun (Livingston) gives us a lot of length -- the ability to go up and get a rebound on a missed shot, if we need to switch something, we can switch like-sized. It's nothing that needs to be discussed. Every player wants to be out there all the time, but we're going to do whatever we think is going to be best for the current moment."
As for how it might sit with Curry?
"He's a big boy," Kerr said. "He's a two-time MVP. He's an unbelievably mature, thoughtful person. He was, I'm sure, upset how the game went for him just like I was upset after the game. But in the end, we're all together, win or lose, keep pushing forward."
Kerr calling Curry "a big boy" may raise eyebrows but he is by no means being condescending here, especially since his next comments are just full of praise. The Warriors coach takes pride in having a great relationship with all of his players and that shows in how cohesive of an unit Golden State is during games.
So while Curry may be upset, which is in his human nature, there is no drama between him and Kerr. Plus once the Warriors get back to their winning ways, his temperament will get better and his frustrations will subside.
