Angels reliever Joe Smith beats Warriors’ Stephen Curry in game of PIG

Joe Smith made a blind, backward, over-the-head free throw that Stephen Curry couldn’t match. Then, the Angels reliever stymied the reigning NBA most valuable player and a prolific shooter on a left-handed three-point basket to win a good-natured game of PIG on Tuesday.

“That was fun. I loved it. ... Sometimes a little bit of luck, a lot bit of luck,” Smith said.

It sure made Smith’s day to walk away a winner from the Golden State Warriors’ practice. Smith, infielder Cliff Pennington, and sluggers Albert Pujols and Mike Trout attended practice before their night game against the Oakland Athletics.

Golden State (72-9) was preparing for its regular-season finale Wednesday against Memphis, when the Warriors will try to surpass the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls’ record for victories in a season.

Smith took his victory in stride. He received handshakes and hugs from Curry.

“Well, you don’t go into something expecting you’re going to lose, that ain’t how you become a professional athlete,” Smith said. “Everything you do you want to win. But that was pretty cool.

“I just got lucky, I was in front of him and there were four guys. All of his tough shots, everybody else missed. We knew somebody had to beat him. We couldn’t walk out of here without a win, you know? That’s not making ESPN.”

Trout topped Draymond Green in a separate game.

Curry got a kick out of having the Angels in the house.

“I’ve watched Albert Pujols for years and never met him before so that’s pretty cool, and obviously Mike Trout and the rest of the teammates, talented guys in their trade, so it’s pretty cool that they’d come out and watch us practice and get to chop it up for a little bit.”

Of course, he said all that before losing to Smith.