“I used to hate him, I ain’t gonna lie. That man and Klay, I used to hate him, and I was cool with him at one point”. Cavaliers legend JR Smith recently became quite open about the dislike he had developed for Stephen Curry. It wasn’t because of the Warriors star’s nature but the intensity the player brought every time the Cavaliers and Warriors went head-to-head in the Finals. Whether it is a regular season game or the playoffs, rivals fear being served ‘a dish of Curry’, thanks to his offensive prowess, leadership skills, and shooting efficiency. Because of this, JR Smith hasn’t been the only one who has hated going up against the Warriors star.

Earlier today, former NBA player Austin Rivers joined Pausha to discuss the recent Warriors-Mavericks matchup on ‘Ringer NBA’. The intensity of Stephen Curry during the game gave Rivers flashbacks. After all, if the regular season games during his 11 years weren’t enough, the former player also had to go up against Curry in the playoffs, during his tenure with the LA Clippers and the Houston Rockets. There was seldom a moment when a ‘Curry Flurry’ didn’t occur, leaving Austin Rivers with some unpleasant feelings.

“I was on the Clippers when he did the thing, where he dribbled through the whole team and turned around, shot the three. I was at the game where he did the behind the back, and Chris (Paul) fell” said the 32-year-old. “I’ve seen it all. I’ve been in those games, I’ve played in them, it ain’t fun. I don’t enjoy it. It’s fun now watching it as a fan, (but) playing against him, no I didn’t enjoy it. I don’t like when he’s doing his little dancing sh*t, I want to slap the sh*t out of him when he’s doing that sh*t. Now that I’m watching it, I’m on my couch like (makes a dancing gesture). Now, I love it.”

Austin Rivers chose to discuss this issue since the Warriors star pulled off another ‘Curry Flurry’ during the Warriors-Mavericks game. The game was a highly anticipated one. After all, it marked the first time that Klay Thompson returned to the Bay Area after bidding adieu to his 13-year-long journey with the Warriors. First time that the ‘Splash Brothers’, aka Curry and Thompson, went head-to-head in an NBA game. Curry did not back down during the game, dropping 37 points in 35 minutes. 12 of those points were made during Clutch Time. The player even pulled off his ‘Night-Night’ gesture and screamed into the camera during the heightened period.

For 13 years, Thompson had enjoyed the boon of Curry’s prowess, but the same was a bane for him now. No one was gladder about this fact than Austin Rivers.

“Now he knows how the rest of us feel” said the former player. “Welcome. Welcome, Klay.”

It is good that a situation did not arise where Austin Rivers threw hands at Stephen Curry. Otherwise, it would have made things awkward on social occasions. For those who may not know, the former player’s sister, Callie Rivers, just so happens to be the wife of Seth Curry, aka Stephen Curry’s younger brother. This makes the duo family! Seth Curry and Callie Rivers didn’t get married until September 2019, four months after Rivers and Curry had their last playoff game. Despite this, NBA enthusiasts would be glad that things didn’t turn physical and that no tensions exist between the in-laws.

Austin Rivers isn’t the only member of his family who is glad to see Stephen Curry only as an observer. While it is his team that competes against the Warriors, Rivers’ father does not shy away from sending his flowers to the three-point leader from time to time.

Doc Rivers Believes Stephen Curry has influenced basketball more than anyone today: “That’s from one dude”

Back in August, Doc Rivers appeared on an episode of ‘KG Certified.’ During the same, he discussed Stephen Curry’s influence on the game of basketball. Rivers stated “Steph is as much of a game changer as anybody in our lifetime. Like, if you go to an AAU game, ain’t nobody dunking. You remember when you go to an AAU game, ain’t nobody taking a jump shot. Now, you go to an AAU game, people shooting from half-court -everybody shooting. That’s from one dude.”

Celtics legend Paul Pierce, who served as co-host, added that Curry is a relatable figure for aspiring players. After all, “What the kids do is they say, ‘I can be Steph because I can’t be Durant, because I’m not growing to 7 feet. And I can’t be LeBron, because I can’t grow to 6–8 and be buff.’ But kids look and say, ‘I can probably be Steph.’ 6–2, 6–3 and can shoot really well and move without the ball.” If that isn’t the ultimate praise that an NBA player can get, then what is?

Under a 9-2 win record, the Warriors may be making several rival players mad. With the 2024-25 season still in the early stages, let us hope that no one goes out to do what Austin Rivers was almost prepared to do.