Moses Moody is making moves - and not just the kind that show up on the highlight reel.
Amid a rollercoaster season for the Golden State Warriors, the fifth-year wing is quietly carving out a bigger role, and doing it with the kind of consistency that coaches dream about. While Steph Curry continues to defy time and logic at age 37, and veterans like Al Horford and De’Anthony Melton are finally rounding into form after battling injuries, it’s Moody who’s emerging as a steady two-way force - and he’s doing it with a maturity that speaks volumes.
Moody’s Confidence Is Catching Up to His Work Ethic
After dropping 26 points in the Warriors’ 140-124 win over the Utah Jazz - his ninth straight game scoring in double figures - Moody reflected on what’s fueling this surge.
“It’s hard work, and with work comes confidence,” he told NBC Sports Bay Area postgame. “It’s not just hard work, hard work - it’s learning, it’s paying attention to your teammates, paying attention to the opponents, watching film. It’s all of that… I guess that can be considered maturity as well.”
That blend of effort and awareness is exactly what’s been showing up on the court. Moody has always had the tools - length, shooting touch, defensive instincts - but now he’s pairing them with a deeper understanding of the game. And that’s paying off in a big way.
A Sharpshooter on the Rise
Moody’s numbers have taken a leap this season, and the most eye-popping jump is from deep. After hovering around 36-37% from three over his first four seasons, he’s now shooting over 40% from beyond the arc - and doing it on nearly six attempts per game. That’s not just respectable; that’s elite territory, especially for a player who’s still logging just 24.5 minutes a night.
But the volume and efficiency have both ticked up during his latest run. Since becoming a fixture in the starting lineup 23 games ago, Moody has averaged 10.7 points per game while knocking down nearly 42% of his threes. Zoom in even further - to his last nine games, all double-digit scoring efforts - and the numbers jump off the page: 15.2 points per game on a blistering 53.2% from deep, hitting nearly four threes a night.
That kind of shooting stretches defenses, especially when you’re sharing the floor with a gravitational force like Curry. Opponents can’t cover everyone, and Moody’s making them pay for leaving him open.
More Than Just a Shooter
It’s easy to get caught up in the offensive fireworks, but Moody’s impact on the other end of the floor might be even more important to Golden State’s recent stability. The Warriors are 5.6 points better defensively when Moody is on the court. That’s not a small swing - it’s a sign of a player who understands positioning, communicates well, and competes on every possession.
Even though the team’s offensive rating dips slightly when he’s out there, his overall net rating is still a +3.5 - third-best on the roster behind only De’Anthony Melton and Jimmy Butler. That’s the kind of impact number that tells you a player is making winning plays, even if they aren’t always flashy.
A Key Piece in a Shifting Puzzle
The Warriors have had their share of ups and downs this season, but Moody’s emergence is one of the more promising developments. He’s healthy, he’s confident, and he’s earning Steve Kerr’s trust with every game. Starting each of the last 23 contests, he’s proving he can be more than just a rotation guy - he’s becoming a reliable two-way contributor on a team that needs exactly that.
In a season full of questions, Moses Moody is starting to provide some answers.