As the Golden State Warriors defeated the Houston Rockets, 103-89, in Game 7 of their harrowing first-round matchup, one player's uninspiring performance presented major concerns for the team heading into the next round.
Although the Warriors shook off the ghosts that had haunted their sluggish and tired play in Games 5 and 6, young wing Moses Moody seemed to regress yet again, lacking confidence in his shot and physicality on the offensive end of the floor.
Now, as Golden State moves on to play the deep, talented Minnesota Timberwolves, Moody's lack of performance could cause major rotational issues.
Moody needs to find his form again for the Warriors to stand a chance
Moody, who was the Warriors' 14th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, has had a breakout year, moving into the starting lineup soon after the team's acquisition of Jimmy Butler and averaging 9.8 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.3 assists on the season.
With Golden State shipping out Andrew Wiggins to the Miami Heat in that trade, Moody stepped up immediately, shooting 37.4% from 3-point range and utilizing his length and agility to play strong, complementary defense.
On just his first year of a ridiculously cheap four-year, $17 million contract, Moody truly began to look like the 3-and-D player that all championship contenders yearn for.
However, in the final stretch of the season Moody entered a shooting slump, shooting just 32.8% from 3-point range through his final 12 games of the season.
Moreover, in the playoffs, Moody has not yet rectified his struggles. After scoring seven and 12 points in Games 1 and 2, respectively, Moody was removed from the starting lineup in favor of a more small-ball leaning rotation.
Apart from Game 5, in which Moody almost led the end-of-the-bench squad to an unlikely comeback in what looked to be a blowout loss, the young forward has largely been a non-factor offensively throughout this postseason. In Game 7, Moody shot 0-for-5 from the field and finished the night with an abysmal zero points on the board.
As Golden State moves on to play the Timberwolves, who have explosive wings Jaden McDaniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker in their rotation, the team will need Moody's defense desperately, and, in order to be viable on the court, he will need to make some sort of offensive impact.
Therefore, if Moody's play continues as it has been, his team could encounter serious trouble on both ends of the floor.
