The Warriors were eliminated, O Neal supported Curry, and Curry would advance to the Western Conference Finals

The Golden State Warriors lost the fifth game of their series, and the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the opponent with a big score of 4-1. Many fans and media said that the Golden State Warriors lost, but Stephen Curry did not lose, because in the first game of the series, he missed the next four games due to a left leg tendon injury, which led to the Golden State Warriors suffering a four-game losing streak and being eliminated from the playoffs.

In the NBA Insider show, Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal discuss the impact of Stephen Curry's absence on this series. Charles Barkley believes that Stephen Curry's absence will not change much in the result. They will still be eliminated by the Timberwolves, who will still win this series.

When Ernie Johnson asked Stephen Curry if he came on the court, would the Warriors win the series, Charles Barkley responded "I don't think so."

In fact, Stephen Curry's return in this round of the series will have little impact on the results. In terms of strength, Stephen Curry is not as good as Luka Doncic, but the Lakers are still eliminated 1-4. To defeat a team like the Timberwolves, you must have players who can compete with Edwards on both offense and defense, and a center who can defeat the Timberwolves inside. However, the Golden State Warriors don't have these two things. So, there is no problem with Charles Barkley's view. "I think this is very feasible because the way everyone defends Stephen Curry in the playoffs makes it so easy." The Houston Rockets' defense, which is not comparable to the Timberwolves, is the same as the offensive end. Especially at critical moments, there are always people who can stand up and fight back against the Golden State Warriors on both sides of the Timberwolves offense and defense. In the first round, the Golden State Warriors were able to defeat the Rockets. In addition to the referee's partiality, they also had some experienced veterans. In contrast, the Timberwolves Julius Randle, Gobert and Conley are all regulars in the playoffs. Edwards plays as a superstar, not like young players who have entered the league for several seasons.

Shaquille O'Neal defended Stephen Curry, "Stephen is a dynamic player who can take over a game. Now he is the old Stephen in the playoffs, and Houston has done this kind of sly defense where he has to be a formal player. But answering Ernie's question, if he is healthy, he can give you a 30-40-50 game, which can change the series. So answering your question, I think if he is healthy, they will definitely win this series."

Shaquille O'Neal is still too overestimating Stephen Curry, the Los Angeles Lakers have proven that Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors have not had enough strength in the past few seasons and have gone further in the playoffs. First of all, the league and the referee's call, no longer favoring them, moving the pick-and-roll can no longer make a profit like when he was three championships in five years. This call to be beaten back to their original form has a huge blow to them.

And Stephen Curry's defense has become a loophole. The Timberwolves lost to the Golden State Warriors in the first game, mainly because they had been resting for too long, and their touch and body were fighting against those, and they suddenly became unfamiliar and couldn't keep up, and they underestimated the enemy. The best proof is the victory of the Golden State Warriors in the next four games. In fact, everyone knows that Stephen Curry can play in Game 5, but they are considering staying healthy and fighting for next year or the future, rather than taking risks.