Stephen Curry was caught somewhere between admiration and frustration on Thursday night.
The Golden State Warriors superstar could only shake his head — and later laugh — after his former locker room neighbor, Ryan Rollins, torched his old team for a career-high 32 points in the Milwaukee Bucks’ 120-110 win at Fiserv Forum.
Rollins, who was part of the trade package that sent Jordan Poole to the Washington Wizards and eventually landed Chris Paul in Golden State in 2023, made the most of his chance against the team that once gave up on him.
Rollins Outshines Curry in Career Night
Seizing the spotlight with the injured Giannis Antetokounmpo on the sidelines, Rollins delivered the game of his life — hitting 13 of 21 shots, including 5-of-7 from 3-point range, while adding eight assists and three rebounds.
But his biggest statement came on the defensive end, where he hounded Curry for much of the night. The two-time MVP finished with 27 points on 8-of-19 shooting and committed five turnovers, two of which came directly against Rollins’ pressure.
“Watching him on film before tonight, you see he’s being very calculated on how to use his speed and create space and get downhill,” Curry said of Rollins, per The Athletic. “He’s shooting shots when he’s open, making proper reads. You obviously saw it tonight — he played fearless out there. I’m happy for him, but I’m also pissed off.”
From Locker Neighbors to Rivals
GettyStephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors dribbles the ball against Ryan Rollins of the Milwaukee Bucks.
Rollins’ relationship with Curry made the duel personal. The 23-year-old guard spent his rookie season sitting beside Curry in the Warriors’ locker room, learning the ropes from the four-time champion.
“That’s my guy, man,” Rollins said after the win. “He was my locker neighbor my first year. My first year was very fast for me, so he was a great, down-to-earth dude. Him being Steph Curry, him just being so humble and how he talked to me — that was very humbling.”
After the game, Rollins received a signed Curry jersey, which he said he plans to frame and hang on his wall — a memento from the night he both honored and outplayed his mentor.
Tempers Flare After Hard Contact
The competitive fire between the two teams boiled over in the fourth quarter when Rollins collided with Curry while defending a drive. The contact drew a heated reaction from Draymond Green, who retaliated with a hard foul on the next play.
“I think I bumped Steph, that’s why Draymond did what he did,” Rollins said. “I didn’t expect nothing different, I kind of liked it. It just turns me up a little bit more.”
Rollins channeled that energy into closing out the game strong, scoring 13 points in the final period to bury the Warriors’ comeback hopes.
Kerr: Rollins ‘Was Fantastic Tonight’
Golden State coach Steve Kerr credited Rollins’ pace and poise for dismantling their defense.
“Well, his speed gave us a lot of trouble,” Kerr said. “He got past us — penetration, either scored at the rim or kicked it to shooters. He was fantastic tonight. Just played a great game.”
Warriors’ Regret
Rollins’ breakout performance was a gut punch for a Warriors team still searching for backcourt consistency beyond Curry. While Milwaukee proved it can win without Antetokounmpo, Rollins may have proved something even bigger — that Golden State gave up too soon.
What started as a sentimental reunion turned into a revenge game for the ages — one that left Curry smiling, but still a little “pissed off.”
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