“Maybe he is starting to break down. He moves a lot for a 37-year-old” – Shaquille O’Neal delivers a grim diagnosis on Steph Curry’s hamstring injury after Game 1

O’Neal shares his take on Steph Curry’s hamstring injury, which he suffered in Game 1 of the West semis.

“Father Time” is a vicious animal with no allies. Like a thief in the middle of the night, it slowly creeps up on even the greatest athletes and takes away their prime years. Shaquille O’Neal knows this all too well, having seen it firsthand during his illustrious NBA career.

On Tuesday, the “Diesel” saw it do its work once again, this time on the greatest shooter the game has ever seen: Stephen Curry. The 6’2″ guard from Davidson was having a fantastic game, having racked up 13 points, including five straight, to help the Golden State Warriors erect a sizable lead over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 1 of the Western Conference semis. All of a sudden, the dynamic guard clutched at his left hamstring and immediately asked to be subbed out.

Not long after, it was announced that Curry would sit out the rest of the game due to a strained hamstring. On “Inside The NBA,” the legendary center said it may only be a case of “Father Time” catching up with the iconic long-range marksman.

Starting to break down?

At 37, Steph is no spring chicken. However, his strict adherence to a healthy lifestyle and intense training regimen has kept him playing at an elite level for over a decade. Unfortunately, as we all know, the end must come to all athletes.

“Older, maybe starting to break down. He moves a lot for a 36, 37-year-old,” Shaq assessed. “This could be crucial. You know, if I’m Golden State, rest him Game 2, give him a couple more days rest — possibly bring him back Game 3.”

Despite the tenacious and physical defense the Houston Rockets played on him in the first round, Curry still averaged 24.0 points, 5.9 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.1 steals per game. In the second round, with the Timberwolves’ defenders lacking the skill and athleticism the Rockets had, many pegged the two-time MVP to go off, and it sure looked like he was going to have one of those games in the series opener until the injury happened.

“He’s been playing well. You know, defense is a lot more looser than what Houston was doing. Houston was bringing a lot of bodies at him,” O’Neal remarked. “This time, they got maybe one or two guys guarding him. But I saw when he did that right there — I was nervous.”

Steph will be fine

“The Big Aristotle” has been one of Curry’s biggest supporters over the last decade. He surmised the Dubs superstar would do just fine and would be back on the court in no time. At the same time, he emphasized the need for the rest of the Warriors to step up in his absence.

“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, because when you miss Steph, you miss a lot,” the 2000 league MVP said. “You miss a guy that controls the floor. You miss a guy that hits a lot of wild, timely shots.”

Given how tricky hamstring injuries can be, “Chef” will most assuredly be held out of Game 2. It’s a good thing that the Warriors have “Playoff Jimmy” on their roster and the hope is that he can put the team on his back and hold the fort until the GOAT shooter can return.