Golden State Warriors fans have always treated Stephen Curry as their basketball deity. He’s not just a player but he’s the heart and soul of the franchise.
From his jaw-dropping 3-pointers to his ability to turn games on their head, Curry’s presence is nothing short of divine for Dub Nation. With the recent addition of Jimmy Butler on February 6th, fans hoped that Curry would get some much-needed relief. But fate had other plans.
Fans Not Happy With Referees’ Call After Stephen Curry’s Injury
Disaster struck during the Warriors’ latest showdown against the Toronto Raptors on Thursday night. Late in the game, Curry suffered a brutal collision with Raptors rookie Jonathan Mogbo.
The unintended impact sent Curry crashing down, with his tailbone bearing the full force of the fall. Despite the clear and dangerous nature of the incident, the referees chose to keep their whistles silent, igniting a firestorm of rage among Warriors fans.
Steph suffered an injury after a HARD fall 😳
Hope he’s OK 🙏 pic.twitter.com/L1jnes5Eou
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 21, 2025
NBA referees are no strangers to controversy. Just hours before this game the refs were getting some heat for not giving a foul to Giannis Antetokounmpo even after he deliberately touched Bronny James’ shoulder preventing him from hooping.
After the Curry incident, one prominent fan account tweeted, “NBA Official you guys are so bad at your job that you are actively getting Steph Curry hurt. You should all be fined and fired for such a miserable display of officiating,” garnering thousands of retweets within minutes.
.@NBAOfficial you guys are so bad at your job that you are actively getting Steph Curry hurt. You should all be fined and fired for such a miserable display of officiating. #nba #DubNation
— Michael Harris (@Aksyum) March 21, 2025
Bad officiating isn’t exclusive to basketball. Major League Baseball has had its fair share of umpiring disasters. One of the most infamous was in 2010 when veteran umpire Jim Joyce mistakenly called Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga safe on what should have been the final out of a perfect game.
One user was quick to point this out, however, they downgraded the NBA in this regard by commenting, “Worst officiating in any professional sports. Baseball umps are pretty bad, but NBA refs take the cake!”
Worst officiating in any professional sports. Baseball umps are pretty bad, but NBA refs take the cake!
— N E L L Y 🍥 (@8ternell) March 21, 2025
Fans believe that superstar treatment exists in sports, but somehow, Curry seems to be excluded from it. Soccer legends like Lionel Messi often receive protection from referees, ensuring the game’s biggest names stay on the field. Yet, in the NBA, even a two-time MVP and four-time champion like Curry isn’t immune to dangerous no-calls.
The lack of accountability for referees led a follower to write, “If it was Messi those refs would never be allowed to walk out of that arena. Thats the kind of deterrence they need to believe is possible.”
If it was Messi those refs would never be allowed to walk out of that arena. Thats the kind of deterrence they need to believe is possible
— Sam atkinsa (@sammyatkinsa) March 21, 2025
However, while most fans were not happy with the referee’s silence during the incident, few were against the Warriors fans, questioning how such an unfortunate event was due to the refs. “I don’t see how calling that a foul would’ve saved Curry’s tailbone…,” wrote one fan whereas another one said, “How is this the officials fault? Even if they make the call he is still hurt.”
I don’t see how calling that a foul would’ve saved Curry’s tailbone…
— Jelon (@JelonMusks) March 21, 2025
The Warriors later officially announced Curry’s injury as a “pelvic contusion,” and he is expected to undergo further tests on Friday.
Normally, players with an injury of this type miss between three and ten games, which means Golden State will likely have to navigate their entire next tour without their star player and With only 12 games left in the regular season before the playoffs, this setback could not have come at a worse time for the Warriors.
The Warriors after acquiring Jimmy Butler had been one of the best teams in recent weeks winning 15 of 18 games. Now for Warriors fans, this isn’t just about one game. It’s about a pattern of officiating failures that continue to go unpunished. And if the NBA doesn’t step up soon, the backlash will only grow louder.
Jimmy Butler Sets the Roadmap for Warriors in Curry’s Absence
When Curry limped to the locker room during Wednesday’s clash with the Toronto Raptors, a familiar dread swept through Chase Center. But after the superstar’s exit, Butler and Draymond Green emerged as the elite forces that the Warriors needed. Butler’s efficient 16-point performance paired with Green’s unexpected 21-point outburst propelled Golden State to a narrow 117-114 victory.
Moreover, Butler didn’t waste time establishing the new hierarchy in Curry’s absence. During his post-game interview, he laid out a clear directive for the squad moving forward.
“The message is going to be, whether he’s with us or whether he’s not – hopefully he is. But if he isn’t, that’s just more perfect basketball that we’re going to have to play. We can’t afford to turn the ball over. We can’t afford to foul because we don’t have the one individual that can, like, automatically get us back into the game,” said Butler (as per NBC Sports).
This latest injury brings Curry’s total season setbacks to twelve after his brief absence due to back problems last week. Now Before their Saturday match against the Atlanta Hawks, the Warriors wait optimistically for Stephen Curry’s fast recovery.