"Starting to break down" - Shaquille O'Neal makes concerning remark on Steph Curry's hamstring injury

Shaquille O'Neal was concerned about Steph Curry's durability after the two-time MVP suffered a hamstring strain in Tuesday's Game 1 of the West semis against the Timberwolves. Curry sustained the blow in the second quarter and exited the contest after scoring 13 points on 5 of 9 shots.

The 37-year-old was coming off an intense seven-game series against the Houston Rockets, who physically bothered him with their pesky defensive schemes. After his exit in Game 1 against the Timberwolves, O'Neal made a concerning remark on TNT's Inside The NBA, saying:

"Maybe [Steph Curry] is starting to break down. He moves a lot for a 37 year old."

O'Neal referred to Curry's movement on the floor, which makes him one of the most lethal off-ball players in the NBA. His gravity helps cause chaos against opposing defenses, making life easier for the Warriors offensively.

Curry has been relatively healthy despite age catching up, but O'Neal believes that may not be the case anymore.

The Warriors led by 44-31 at halftime and extended their advantage to 20 in the third quarter before the Timberwolves cut the deficit back to 13 again.

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Jimmy Butler on Steph Curry's injury absence

The Warriors survived Steph Curry's near-three-quarter absence to steal Game 1 against the Timberwolves with a 99-88 win. Jimmy Butler and others stepped up to take a 1-0 lead. Butler had a near-triple-double with 20 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists and two steals. Meanwhile, Buddy Hield led the team in scoring with 24 points and Draymond Green had 18/8/6.

While the Warriors managed in Curry's absence, Butler maintained that he wants their "best player" back because he makes things easier.

"Steph is our best player, and the game is much easier when we've got him."

Curry's absence meant the Warriors had to ensure no major defensive leaks occurred. They tightened up on that end, kept the Timberwolves under 90 points while scoring just enough to get the critical Game 1 win as a road team. Golden State shot just 39.1% and scored under 100 in Curry's absence, which explains their struggles to generate quality looks.