It took 1,193 career games in the NBA, but Stephen Curry was finally called for a flagrant foul.
The Warriors’ superstar was called for his first-ever flagrant late in the first quarter of Tuesday’s 126-102 loss to the Thunder.
Curry got called for stepping into the landing zone as Isaiah Joe attempted a 3-pointer, which led to him falling to the ground.
The call was reviewed and the refs ultimately upgraded the foul to a flagrant 1.
“Curry closes out from a distance with an extended leg. Joe lands on Curry’s foot, creating a potential for injury as a result of the contact,” referee John Goble announced after the review.
According to the NBA rulebook, “Defenders must give airborne shooters the opportunity to land safely,” and a “Flagrant Foul, Penalty 1 is defined as contact that is unnecessary.”
The foul occurred with 01.3 seconds left in the first quarter and Curry looked in disbelief on the bench as Goble made the announcement.
The fact that Curry had gone 17 years in the NBA without a flagrant foul up until Tuesday is a rather remarkable feat.
Curry, who missed the previous three games due to illness, struggled in the Warriors’ loss, scoring just 11 points on 4-of-13 shooting, and he went just 1-for-5 from 3-point range. He struggled on defense too — he committed his fifth foul with just under 10 minutes left in the third quarter.
The Warriors have dropped five of their last seven games and are just 6-6 this season.
