Stephen Curry Nails Tough Jumper, Daps Up Opposing Coach

At first glance you’d think Steph Curry’s cockiness had found a new peak: he hits a turnaround jumper in front of the Pelicans bench, then pauses and offers his hand to Pelican associate head coach Darren Erman, who gives him the saltiest, hastiest little high-five.

But there’s context: Curry knows Erman from his three years as an assistant coach for the Warriors, which ended abruptly in 2014 when then-head coach Mark Jackson canned Erman for secretly recording his conversations. (Reports at the time suggested that Erman was a pawn in a war between Jackson and the front office, gathering information to help GM Bob Myers and owner Joe Lacob dispel a head coach they disliked.)

Sadly, last night’s display was less about Curry humiliating some random jamoke and more about him aiming a playful jab at a coach he knew well.