"Fried LeSwept's flop apprentice" - Fans react after Steph Curry seemingly mocks Lakers guard Austin Reaves 

Golden State Warriors superstar point guard Steph Curry appeared to mock LA Lakers shooting guard Austin Reaves early in Tuesday's preseason clash. The incident sparked mixed NBA fan reactions, with some coming to Reaves' defense.

Golden State and LA matched up in Las Vegas' T-Mobile arena, bringing NBA action to one of the league's potential future expansion cities. Both teams' veterans suited up for the relatively inconsequential exhibition showdown, with Curry expressing some apparent first-half frustration.

With 33.6 seconds remaining in the second quarter, Reaves drew a foul, earning a trip to the free-throw line. Afterward, Curry made a flopping gesture toward one of the game's officials, seemingly implying that Reaves exaggerated the contact.

Fans on X/Twitter quickly began weighing in on the play, with some siding with Curry.

"Fried LeSwept's flop apprentice," @highfade_30 said.

"Reaves mastered where the refs stand, so he flops in front of them to get that automatic call each time," @BayAreaDubs510 wrote.

Meanwhile, some appreciated Curry being so animated in the preseason.

"I love this version of Steph Curry. Bro realizes he’s near the end of his career and needs not to waste a single moment," @jacobgotaura said.

However, others defended Reaves, referencing his standout 2023 Western Conference semifinal performance against Curry's Warriors.

"He owned Curry in the playoffs by the way," @HoodiAustin wrote.

"He better respect AR!" @Ar15Mvp said.

"AR already owned [him] in the offs, so he better lighten up," @MurraySlides wrote.

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Steph Curry and Warriors dispatch Austin Reaves' Lakers to remain undefeated in preseason

Steph Curry got the last laugh against Austin Reaves on Tuesday, as Golden State secured a 111-97 victory, improving to 5-0 in the preseason.

Despite having an off shooting night, Curry finished second on his team in scoring. The two-time MVP recorded 16 points, five rebounds, six assists, two steals and three 3-pointers, shooting 33.3% in 28 minutes.

Meanwhile, Reaves tallied 13 points, three rebounds, two assists and two triples, shooting 37.5% in 17 minutes as LA dropped to 1-3 in exhibition play.

The two sides match up again on Friday in San Francisco, where the Warriors will look to finish their exhibition slate 6-0.

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