Physical playoffs basketball. That’s what the Warriors vs Rockets series has been all about. And Ime Udoka’s message to his squad has been clear all along: “Don’t worry, they’re not going to call anything, play through it.” With their season on the line, the Houston team had no intention to tone down the physicality for tonight’s Game 6. But this time, Stephen Curry came prepared for the challenge. In fact, he committed a questionable act that even had the Rockets announcers calling out NBA officials’ potential bias.

It happened in the closing minutes of the opening quarter. With time winding down, Alperen Sengun attempted a rare three-pointer to avoid a shot clock violation. He missed, and Steven Adams grabbed the rebound. The ball went right back to Sengun, who was now inside the paint wide open. As the big man focused on securing possession, Steph ran right at him, seemingly poking him in the eye. Sengun immediately fell to the floor, covering his face in immense agony. Sure enough, the official blew the whistle and called a foul on the Warriors star. No further action was taken.

However, Rockets broadcasters were not pleased with the fact that the foul was not reviewed for a potential flagrant. “That had been Dillon Brooks doing that, they’d be looking at it,” the announcer said on Live TV. Well, players’ reputation and history do play a part in the strictness of how they are officiated. And Brooks does not do very well in that department, as he accumulated sixteen technical fouls during the regular season that even led to a one-game suspension.

Meanwhile, Steph’s record is clean in terms of unsportsmanlike acts. Maybe that’s why the officials did not look deeper into his foul on Sengun. But what if they did?

Did Stephen Curry deserve a Flagrant call for his foul on Alperen Sengun?

During the live broadcast, it looked like Curry poked Sengun in the eye, stopping him from hitting a wide-open layup. Sengun’s immediate reaction of covering his face and falling to the floor hinted at the same. However, another camera angle of the incident tells a different story. Looking from the side view, it was clear that Curry was going for the ball and hit the Rockets star’s hand first.

Mar 8, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) cools off with a towel on his head during a break in the second quarter against the Detroit Pistons at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn ImagesThe impact led to Sengun’s hand hitting his own face, along with Curry’s. Moreover, the hit seemed nowhere close to the eye that was initially in question. So, even if the officials had gone to the monitor, it is unlikely that Steph’s foul would have been upgraded to a flagrant. That’s because the initial contact was made with the ball and Sengun’s hand.

But still, the bigger conversation here is about how players’ reputations affect how these fouls are treated. And when it comes to Steph Curry, the man’s got one of the cleanest slates in the league. That doesn’t mean there haven’t been controversial moments — even with the Baby-Faced Assassin.

Take the 2016 NBA Finals Game 6, for instance. Stephen Curry fouled out for the first time in years and got so heated he chucked his mouthpiece into the crowd — accidentally hitting the son of a Cavs owner. That sixth foul? Questionable at best. The third one? Legit — he grabbed Kyrie. But others? Debatable. Especially the second one, where LeBron dipped his shoulder and Curry took the hit. That could’ve easily gone the other way as a charge.

Then there was Game 1 of the 2019 playoffs vs. Houston — yep, the same Rockets. The NBA’s Last Two Minute Report later admitted that Curry should have fouled out after making contact with James Harden near the sideline. And again, seconds later, he arguably committed another loose-ball foul on Eric Gordon. Neither was called. Instead, Curry stayed in the game and nailed the dagger three to seal it. That stung for Rockets fans.

Fast forward to the 2022 NBA Finals, Game 3. Steph Curry found himself tangled in whistle trouble again. He picked up his third foul thanks to what many saw as a clear flop from Derrick White. Replay showed minimal contact, but the whistle blew anyway. A fourth foul soon followed in the third quarter — and suddenly, the best shooter in history was battling foul trouble in a crucial Finals matchup.

So yeah, Steph’s no dirty player — far from it. But he’s no stranger to being on both the good and bad ends of whistle debates. The difference is, he usually gets the benefit of the doubt. Maybe that’s just the price (or privilege) of being one of the game’s most beloved stars.

Still, fans — especially Rockets fans — have every right to wonder: If that exact Sengun-Curry sequence had been Dillon Brooks instead of Steph, would the whistle have stayed the same?