Moses Moody Showing Out In Expanded Role
One of the common critiques of this season from the Warriors has been the lack of cohesion between the front office and the coaching staff. That lack has been manifested primarily by Moses Moody losing minutes to 2-way forward and now-rostered Anthony Lamb: A lot of people have been high on Moody, including analysts before the draft who painted him as possibly the most league-ready 3-and-D player in the draft.
With Lamb now out of the rotation, we’re starting to see why that was the scouting report. After a DNP notation in Game 1, Moody’s made some more regular appearances. Against the Kings, he’s averaged just under 10 minutes a game while posting 6.7 points and 2.7 rebounds, shooting 63.6% from the field (including a 42.9% mark from three). While there’s obviously limited volume there, it’s obvious that his energy has been very helpful with Jonathan Kuminga struggling a bit.
Moody’s a good play in this Kings-Warriors matchup. He’s not being tasked with guarding elite perimeter players, and his role is instead as a hustle player. Moses goes for the 50-50 balls both on the ground and on the boards, takes smart spot-up shots, and plays pretty good help defense that has helped to slow Sacramento’s two major offensive conduits in Domantas Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox.
It isn’t news, however, that Moses Moody is a good basketball player. Just last season, he was averaging over 30 points per game in stretch in the G-League, showcasing scoring chops which were the questionable sections on his draft report.
These are the kinds of looks which convert well into NBA scoring opportunities when a player is not the number one option. The Warriors need him in the rotation for his activity on both ends, an off-ball presence who can disrupt the other team as a help defender. His role at the moment is the guy who will make the reads and cuts to generate easy looks and keep the defense guessing. His skills fit something the Warriors have been missing all year: A player who is just a very solid glue guy. No more, no less.
The analysis on Moses Moody for this season obviously comes with the benefit of hindsight. There were moments at the start of the season where it looked like he could crack the rotation, but a series of mistakes like turnovers and missed defensive rotations (something Steve Kerr isn’t particularly forgiving of when it comes to former one-and-dones) ended him up on the bench.
Despite this, his work ethic was apparent whenever he stepped on the floor, and it’s starting to pay dividends. He won’t be the best in his role, nor will he post an astronomical plus-minus, but his energy is something that can help the Warriors keep the game close when their non-Stephen Curry lineups are deployed.
It’s rare that we see a player crack a rotation in the playoffs, but Moody has shown that he does belong in scenarios where the matchup allows for him to be. Kuminga had a great stretch this season that led to his significant presence on the floor, but he’s struggled against the Kings because his point-of-attack capability is his most valuable skill, and he’s playing against two shifty, explosive guards in Fox and Malik Monk. Sometimes he’ll be the big defender on the floor, meaning he gets Sabonis or Alex Len.
JoKu’s lack of playing time in this series is a product of matchups and matchups alone. Likewise, Moody’s gain in playing time (as minimal as it is) is for the same reason. Moses provides a blueprint of sorts to how Kuminga can become effective in Games 5 and 6 should he get the run, another valuable aspect which he’s brought in the first round. His fellow second-year could learn some things: The skill is there, but the nuances - something Kerr favors - are still to come.
It remains to be seen how much more the Warriors utilize Moses Moody for the rest of the series, but he’s given them a couple good minutes whenever he’s on the floor. He scored 13 points in 16 minutes when the team was down Draymond Green and Gary Payton II in Game 3, and has provided hustle off the bench which has helped in part to revitalize the Dubs as they battle back from the 0-2 hole.
The series is now tied and heading back to Sacramento. If his impact diminishes over the course of the series, one thing is for certain: When his number is called, Moses Moody stays ready.
(Photo credit: Ezra Shaw / Getty Images)