Bronny James got his crack at Stephen Curry on Tuesday night, and the moment ended with both of them cracking up instead of arguing. During Golden State’s 124-98 preseason win over the Lakers at Chase Center, James found himself isolated on Curry after a switch, used his off arm to try to create space, and then went up for a jumper.
The whistle came right away. Offensive foul.
James looked stunned by the call, and Curry seemed just as entertained by it. SportsCenter posted video on X showing James smiling and laughing after the whistle, then cutting to Curry, who also couldn’t hold back his reaction.
"Ref called Bronny for a push-off vs. Steph," SportsCenter posted on X. "They both couldn't help but laugh."
The sequence was good for a preseason laugh, but it also fit right into the NBA’s new officiating emphasis. This season, the league is putting extra focus on offensive players using an off arm to create separation. Monty McCutchen, the NBA’s senior vice president and head of referee development and training, said before the season that players can still use an arm to feel or "firm" against a defender.
Fully extending that arm or forcefully shoving a defender away is supposed to draw an offensive foul, and officials ruled that James crossed the line against Curry.
James is far from the only player dealing with the tighter standard. Raptors star Scottie Barnes was whistled for a similar offensive foul in Toronto’s preseason opener and later said the difference between legal and illegal contact was "weird."
For James, the call came in the middle of a matchup he clearly wanted. It also came in a game where Los Angeles sat Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler, leaving Bronny in the starting lineup.
He finished with four points, four assists and one rebound in just over 20 minutes.
Curry, meanwhile, needed far less time to make his presence felt. The two-time MVP scored 16 points in 14 minutes, hitting 4-of-7 shots and 3-of-6 from deep while also adding five assists. Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg led Golden State with 17 points and nine rebounds.
The preseason result won’t carry over once the games count for real. The officiating tweak, though, is already making its mark. James found that out the hard way against one of the best guards the league has ever seen - even if the two of them could laugh about it afterward.
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Warriors Got An Early Look At A Lakers Question That Still Matters
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Jarred Vanderbilt once again flashed the defensive value that has long made him an interesting piece in Los Angeles, even as his offense stayed limited. On the other end, Jaden Hardy showed some scoring ability but also gave the ball away too often, which is the kind of preseason tradeoff that can linger into the regular season. With roster spots still unsettled, these kinds of performances are part of the evaluation the Lakers will keep weighing as they move closer to opening night. [Read more 🡒]
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Reaves has been clear about the kind of leadership he prefers, and it is not built around public callouts or dramatic scenes. He sees it as something more personal, rooted in one-on-one conversations and calm accountability, a style that fits his approach and the way he connects with teammates. For the Lakers, the question is not just whether he can produce, but whether that quieter voice can help set the tone for what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Stephen Curry Kept This Lakers Loss From Feeling Like Just Preseason
The preseason opener in San Francisco carried more than the usual September exhibition feel, with the Warriors turning it into Nellie Night in honor of the late Don Nelson. Golden State wore yellow Nellie patches on its jerseys, a nod to the coach who helped shape the franchise and, for Stephen Curry, the rookie-season veteran whose influence still lingers as one of the defining figures in his early NBA path.
Curry helped make sure the night had some edge for the Lakers, too. He played 14 minutes and scored 16 points as Golden State rolled to a 124-98 win, giving the game a little more weight than a typical tune-up. The teams will meet again in the regular season on October 21, when the stakes will be real and the Lakers will get their first chance to respond. [Read more 🡒]