Shaquille O’Neal believes it’s time to ask questions about Stephen Curry and his future as an NBA superstar after his latest injury.
While the Golden State Warriors are currently fighting to win Game 1 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, a hurt Stephen Curry sits in the locker room.
The All-Star point guard suffered a hamstring injury and will not return to the court. NBA fans are all worried about Curry and the Warriors after this injury.
Curry’s Game 7 performance against the Rockets showed he was back to his championship best. So losing him will be quite the concern.
But Shaquille O’Neal believes this injury isn’t an isolated incident, and there are signs that Stephen Curry is on the decline.
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Speaking during half-time of the Warriors-Timberwolves game, Shaquille O’Neal spoke about Stephen Curry’s injury.
He believes that Curry’s injuries are a sign that his body is starting to break down. He emphasized that Jimmy Butler and the Warriors must win to buy Curry some breathing room for this series.
“Maybe he is starting to break down. He moves a lot for a 37-year-old. This could be crucial. If I’m Golden State, I definitely want to get this game for him, rest him in Game 2, give him a couple of more days rest, and possibly bring him back in Game 3.”
“But look, he has been playing well. The defense is a lot looser than what Houston was doing. This time, they got maybe one or two guys guarding him. I only want to say two things: Man up. You’ll be alright for Games 2-5. He should be fine.”
“He’s playing well. They’re going to miss him. Now it’s time for Jimmy to step up. Buddy Hield has to be the Buddy Hield he was in that Game 7 in Houston. If you miss Steph, you miss a lot.”
“You miss a guy who controls the floor, hits a lot of wild, timely shots. Buddy Hield is going to have to step up. Podziemski is going to have to step up. Everybody is going to have to play superb basketball to win.”
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In some ways, the Rockets series prepared the Warriors for a situation like this. Depending on the strain level, Curry could miss anywhere between 7 days to 6 weeks.
But the Warriors know what it’s like to play without an All-Star level player in the playoffs. Jimmy Butler got hurt in Game 2 of the Rockets’ series.
And the Warriors would go on to win Game 3 without Butler. Now, with Curry out for at least Games 1 and 2, Butler will have to carry the Warriors.
He has shown he can drag a team to victory in multiple games during his time with Miami. Can Butler repeat his greatest magic trick? We’ll have to wait and see.
