CSN Bay Area

OAKLAND – A pitcher for the Angels, who are in town for a series against the A’s, had the temerity to challenge Stephen Curry to a basketball game on Tuesday.

Temerity prevailed.

Well, actually, Joe Smith won.

This basketball game, truth be told, was P-I-G. And Smith had help, as he got help from several teammates – including Albert Pujols and Mike Trout – in wearing down and eventually knocking off Curry at the team’s downtown Oakland practice facility.

While five different Angels took turns shooting, Curry did all of his own work. To, you know, make it fair. It was a Smith left-handed 3-pointer from the corner that Curry failed to make that shamed him in defeat.

“That one is one of my weapons,” Smith cracked, before adding the punch line. “I don’t like to bring it out unless I have to.”

All was well in the end, as the baseball player had presented Curry a red Angels jersey, with the name “Curry” stretched across the top of the No. 30.

“I’ve watched Albert Pujols for years and never met him before, so that’s cool,” Curry said prior to having his lunch taken. “And then Mike Trout and the rest of the teammates, talented guys in their trade, so it’s pretty cool they came out and watched us practice and get to chop it up a little bit.”

For the record, Curry wasn’t the only Warrior to fall to an Angel. Draymond Green came out on the losing end when Trout drained a 3-pointer and Green responded with one that clanked off the rim.

“I can shoot in the games, but I’m not good at shooting games,” Green said in an attempt to explain away what surely had to be a devastating loss.

“It’s cool, though. It’s fun.”

Maybe. But don’t be surprised if at some point Curry and Green go looking for their respective conquerors demanding a rematch.