Shaquille O’Neal ‘Blindly’ Places His Trust in Stephen Curry’s Warriors When it Comes to the Playoffs

Over the past decade, Shaquille O’Neal has witnessed Stephen Curry and his Golden State Warriors become the most dominant team in the league.

The superstar point guard’s effortless and clutch scoring, former teammate Klay Thompson‘s 3 pointers, and his stellar perimeter defense, Draymond Green‘s playmaking, awareness, and defense, along with the stellar coaching of Steve Kerr, have guided them to 4 titles.

Now, Thompson is no longer there, and the team brought in Jimmy Butler to help share the scoring and defensive burden. The Warriors team is still as good a mix of old and young players, just as it was in those title-winning days.

Only this time, the roles have reversed, and Curry, Green, Butler, and recent signing Al Horford make up the veteran group. With most of them on the wrong side of 35, Shaquille O’Neal still believes they have what it takes.

I love how they are playing. I trust that five in the playoffs more than I trust any other five. Steph, Jimmy, Draymond, and old man Al Horford, that experience alone will be very important.

Shaquille O’Neal said

The 4-time champion said this on the Rich Eisen Show. He detailed how the veteran quartet’s experience will be vital when the ball slows down in the playoffs.

"I trust that five in the playoffs more than I trust any other five."

—@SHAQ on the Golden State Warriors

(via @RichEisenShow) pic.twitter.com/z5jmmrL4Vs

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) October 31, 2025

Last season, they defeated the Houston Rockets with that strategy, even though they did not have enough time playing with Butler. This season, O’Neal believes collectively the Warriors will be dangerous in the playoffs.

Shaquille O’Neal praises Victor Wembanyama and 5-0 Spurs

Earlier on the Rich Eisen Show, host Rich Eisen remarked how he was caught off guard by the fact that no San Antonio Spurs team under Gregg Popovich managed to start 5-0.

But Victor Wembanyama and his squad have managed to do that. Despite seemingly taking a shot at the Frenchman earlier, Shaquille O’Neal said this:

They are playing great. Wemby is redefining what a big man can do. Joker has already redefined what big men can do, but Wemby is taking it to a different level.

Shaquille O’Neal said

The former league MVP did mention that he would prefer if the 7′ 4″ center would pace himself. O’Neal remarked on how big men need rest from time to time.

He hopes Wembanyama will take the necessary steps to avoid injury. On top of that, the Hall of Famer would also like to see the Spurs star enter the postseason healthy, if his team has to have a chance.

Shaquille O’Neal differs slightly from Michael Jordan’s ‘play every game’ mentality

This week, NBC aired the 2nd episode of Michael Jordan‘s contribution. In that, His Airness criticized current generation players, asking them why it was difficult to play every game, which he used to pride himself on.

When Rich Eisen picked up this topic, especially in relation to Shaquille O’Neal’s advice to Victor Wembanyama, the host asked the former Lakers big man if he had a different opinion than Jordan’s.

I wanted to play every single game also. But a lot of times I had knick-knack injuries… You cannot dispute the greatest player of all time, his formula worked for him. But when I can get 2 games rest, every time I came back from injuries, I was super fresh.

Shaquille O’Neal said

The Diesel believes that, as a big man, the pounding he would go through required him to take some games off. It does not mean Jordan was wrong, just that their different physical requirements make it different.

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