Getty
TThe Golden State Warriors had a first half to feel good about on Monday night. They held the Los Angeles Clippers to 42 points in the first two quarters and built a 14-point lead at Chase Center. Then the second half happened.
The Clippers outscored Golden State 70-45 after the break, turning a comfortable Warriors advantage into a 114-101 defeat. It was the kind of collapse that has become too familiar for a team running out of margin in the playoff race. To make matters worse, the Warriors walked away from the night with a fresh injury concern.
Moses Moody left before the final buzzer and did not return.
Kerr Addresses Moody’s Injury
GettyMoses Moody #4 of the Golden State Warriors.
The moment came in the second quarter. Moody and Clippers guard Darius Garland went after a loose ball simultaneously, and the collision left both players shaken. Moody stayed in the game and gutted through the rest of the night, but he eventually headed to the locker room midway through the fourth quarter and did not come back.
Steve Kerr confirmed afterward that Moody had suffered two separate injuries on the play.
“He jammed his shooting wrist, shooting hand, and also hurt his shoulder during the game,” Kerr told reporters after the loss. “But no update. We’ll just see how he’s feeling tomorrow.”
The fact that Moody played through both injuries says something about his toughness. It also explains a shooting night that did not reflect where he has been recently. He finished with 10 points on 4-of-12 shooting, going 2-of-8 from three in 25 minutes — numbers well below the standard he had been setting in the weeks prior.
Why This Matters for the Warriors
GettyStephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors.
The timing could not be worse. Stephen Curry is out for an eleventh straight game with a right knee injury. Kristaps Porzingis has missed five consecutive games with illness. Jimmy Butler is done for the season. The Warriors are already operating well below full strength, and Moody has been one of the few consistent contributors keeping this team afloat.
Over his last six weeks, Moody had established himself as one of Golden State’s most reliable two-way players. Kerr called him the team’s most consistent performer in that stretch. He has been averaging 18.2 points per game over his last five outings while shooting efficiently from the field and providing elite pick-and-roll defense. Losing him — even temporarily — would add another layer of difficulty to a situation that already has plenty.
Brandin Podziemski led the Warriors with 22 points Monday. Gui Santos added 14. But without Moody at full capacity, Golden State’s margin for error shrinks further heading into a brutal stretch of games.
What Comes Next
The Warriors are 31-30 and sitting eighth in the Western Conference. Thursday brings a road game in Houston against the Rockets, the first stop on a road trip with serious playoff implications. Moody’s status for that game is uncertain and will depend on how his wrist and shoulder respond in the next 48 hours.
Kerr offered no timeline Monday night, and the Warriors will not have a clearer picture until the team reassesses Tuesday. If Moody is forced to miss time, Golden State will need to find answers from a roster already stretched thin.
Final Word for the Warriors
The Warriors led by 14 at halftime and lost by 13. That 27-point second-half swing is the story of Monday night. So is the injury to one of the few players keeping this team’s season alive.
Moody played through a jammed wrist and a shoulder injury because that is who he is. The question now is whether playing through it costs him time going forward.
Golden State cannot afford to find out the hard way.
Keith Watkins Keith Watkins is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, and Los Angeles Lakers. He previously wrote for FanSided, NBA Analysis Network, and Last Word On Sports. Keith is based in Bangkok, Thailand. More about Keith Watkins
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