De'Aaron Fox understands just how difficult it is to guard Steph Curry.
The Kings' All-Star guard matched up with the Warriors superstar multiple times in Saturday night's 126-123 win in Game 1 of the first-round NBA playoff series at Golden 1 Center, and hilariously shared his experience with reporters after the game.
"Y'all see that clip of J.R. Smith and he was talking about Delly? ... That s--t's real. It's real," Fox said to a room full of laughter. "I mean, obviously, I didn't guard Steph the entire game but most of the first quarter, most of the fourth quarter I guarded him. That clip is real."
The clip Fox referenced was a recent appearance by former Cleveland Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith on "The Old Man and The Three" podcast, where Smith jokingly claimed that Matthew Dellavedova almost 'died' on the court while guarding Curry eight years ago.
"I love Delly to death, but Delly almost died guarding Steph Curry," Smith recalled. "No, literally almost died. We have footage of this man in the ice tub, like, literally to his neck, trying to guard this man."
Fox came away with a newfound respect for anyone who has received the daunting assignment, which includes his now-teammate Dellavedova, who famously locked down Curry in Game 2 of the 2015 NBA Finals between the Warriors and Cavaliers.
Fox not only lived to tell the story of his assignment Saturday, but he dominated on the court, scoring 38 points in 40 minutes for Sacramento.
RELATED: Kenyon Murray expresses pride in Keegan, Kris' success
NBA
Fox was pleased with his impressive offensive numbers, but he takes extra pride in the strides he has made and continues to make on defense ... especially against a player of Curry's caliber.
"Obviously, my team wants me to do things offensively, and Mike [Brown] talked about it when he got here, he's not worried about what I can do offensively, he wants to see me be better defensively, and that's something I want to take the challenge of doing," Fox explained.
"Playing 40 minutes, scoring 38 points is cool, but trying to be as disruptive as possible while guarding if not the best player in the world, the best player, jump shot wise, shoot a basketball -- not just off the catch but off the dribble, the guy's one of the craftiest players to ever touch the ball -- just to try and be disruptive, for me, I think is the biggest step. That's something I don't care to prove to anybody else, but I want to prove to myself that I can go out there and just try to hound the best guards in the league."
Fox and the Kings rallied in the second half to steal a win from the Warriors, and now will look to again defend their home court in Game 2 on Monday night at Golden 1 Center before heading to San Francisco for Games 3 and 4 at Chase Center.