Petty Steph Curry Trolls Rockets With 'The Warriors' Movie Reference on Bench

Tom Dierberger | Apr 5, 2024

Steph Curry celebrates a basket on the bench in unique fashion. / Screengrab via NBC Sports

Steph Curry leaped at the opportunity to humble 22-year-old forward Tari Eason and the Houston Rockets on Thursday night.

The Warriors, who were once on the brink of falling out of the NBA play-in tournament due to the Rockets' recent hot streak, handily defeated Houston 133–110 at the Toyota Center on Thursday.

In the game's closing moments, Curry watched from the bench with three water bottles sitting atop three of his fingers, referencing the famous scene from the classic 1979 movie The Warriors when Luther, the film's antagonist character, shouted, "Warriors ... come out to play!"

The Petty King is so back 😂💀 pic.twitter.com/60fGtCv8an

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) April 5, 2024

Curry's fun moment on the bench undoubtedly was in response to Eason wearing a T-shirt to the game that depicted Luther's famous phrase from The Warriors. Eason also went viral in March for exclaiming, "Warriors, come out to play!" on Instagram when Houston was within a game of Golden State in the Western Conference standings.

The Rockets fell to 38–38 after Thursday's loss, falling four games back of the Warriors (42–34) for the final play-in tournament spot.

Eason, the No. 17 pick of the 2022 NBA draft, underwent season-ending leg surgery last month.

"That’s pretty lame," Warriors guard Klay Thompson said of Eason wearing the trolling T-shirt. "Especially if you’re not even playing. Like it's one thing if you're playing, you're out there competing. But you’re just gonna be trolling from the sideline.

"Bro, what are we doing?"

Houston is running out of time to snipe Golden State's play-in tournament spot. The Warriors, winners of six straight games, have six contests left in the regular season.