With the NBA Finals starting tonight, ESPN has published an in-depth feature on "Joy and secret rage: How Steph Curry ignites the Warriors."

The story explores the role of fun and joy in the success of the Golden State Warriors star and his team.

Those familiar with Curry's Christian background might be curious if the F-word makes an appearance in this thought-provoking piece.

Nope, it doesn't — if you were thinking of the word "faith."

But interestingly enough, another F-word is used — even out of the mouth of Curry — in this story. More on that in a moment.

First, though, let's consider a key section of the feature that sets the scene early:

As Steve Kerr is to Stephen Curry, so is Curry to Kerr. It was a revelation that came early in Kerr's first season as Warriors coach. And so mere months into his tenure in Oakland, Kerr decided the dream culture he desired would embody the star player at the very center of it. They would strive to make one of Curry's defining traits their cornerstone. It would be a constant, felt in the practice facility (where music thumps) and film sessions (where jokes fly) and far beyond. It would be one of the few qualities that, in the age of analytics, remained difficult to tally: happiness.

Happiness, huh?

Might Curry's faith have something to do with that?

This, after all, is what he told the Fellowship of Christian Athletes magazine in a 2016 interview:

There's obviously tough stretches when it comes to the job that we're in every single day – a lot of pressure and expectations, things like that. For me, I stay grounded knowing that my faith is the most consistent part of my life and knowing where my talents come from. I know why I'm in the league, and why I've been given the platform that I've been given: to shine [Christ’s] light out there on the floor, hopefully inspire people.

Holy ghost, anyone?

Some readers certainly saw one:

Here’s a article that tries to dig deep into the kind of person Steph Curry is, the “joy” and “humility” he brings to the game and his relations with others — and *not one word* about his Christian faith: https://t.co/7IIwZjyaXi
— Alan Jacobs (@ayjay) May 31, 2018

Because the fact that he grew up in a committed Christian home and remains a committed Christian himself couldn’t possibly be relevant to the kind of person he is, could it? https://t.co/OvwHxc2tqt
— Alan Jacobs (@ayjay) May 31, 2018

OK, I don't know Alan Jacobs, but I thank him for writing a big chunk of my post for me.

Another reader replied:

Paging @GetReligion
— Joshua Little (@jdeklittle) May 31, 2018

Hey, we're here to serve. And evidently, ESPN — despite a welcomed aberration last week — is going to keep giving us haunted material to critique.

Now, back to that other F-word.

Writing a post about how ESPN ignored Curry's faith is a little awkward when the story quotes him (along with others interviewed) using a word you don't hear often at church:

On the next offensive possession, Curry put on a one-man dribbling exhibition on the wing before driving to the hoop and finishing with a one-handed floater. Immediately after the ball fell through the net, Curry roared to the crowd, "THIS IS MY F---ING HOUSE!" -- bringing Oracle to a crescendo.

Curry's outburst offers a window into a competitive rage that's the stuff of legend among the Warriors. "If you think about Steph, you think of this mild-mannered [guy]," says Kerr, himself an in-game shatterer of clipboards, "but he's f---ing competitive. He wants to rip your throat out."

Um, I didn't see that word in the FCA interview. And yes, maybe I'm being a fuddy-duddy. I mean, there is a tattooed pastor famous for swearing.

In the FCA interview, Curry did stress that he's not perfect. I'd love to know if he considers that F-word outburst an example of not being perfect or just a part of life in the NBA.

In any case, it sure would be nice if ESPN stopped writing so many stories that so ridiculously ignore the crucial religious angle.