The series between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors got heated both on and off the court. It’s safe to say it was Steve Kerr who added extra tension to the series by calling out the purple and gold for flopping.

The Dubs’ head coach suggested the Lakers have been fooling the refs in the Western Conference semifinals, something that obviously didn’t sit well with their opponents. Darvin Ham and LeBron James hit back at Kerr, and now there seems to be more at stake than a ticket to the next round.

Now it’s about proving a point and shutting the other team’s mouths. Stephen Curry recently addressed the recent exchanges between both sides, but he didn’t want to addfuel to the fire.

Stephen Curry downplays recent exchanges between Warriors and Lakers

“I’ve seen it way worse. But the more you play a team, the more stuff comes out — and the power of this microphone and the gamesmanship back and forth,” Curry said, viaSam Amick of The Athletic.

“It’s all a part of it. Nothing that is surprising. Even from game to game. So I mean, there’s respect, but there’s competition. And everything is catered to just trying to win four games. That’s what you expect.”

Steph understands how this works, and doesn’t want to spend energy on arguing with his opponents in front of the cameras. The Warriors have a lot of work to do, even after winning Game 5.

The Lakers are still just one win away from sealing a place in the Conference Finals, which is why Curry and company should stay focused on their work on the court to keep their hopes alive.