If the Golden State Warriors ever manage to swing a blockbuster deal for Giannis Antetokounmpo, one thing’s going to be clear: spacing will be everything. You don’t bring in a force of nature like Giannis without making sure the floor is wide open for him to attack. And that’s where a guy like Moses Moody suddenly becomes a whole lot more important.
In Wednesday night’s 140-124 win over the Utah Jazz, Moody gave the Warriors-and the rest of the league-a reminder of just how valuable he can be in a high-powered, spacing-dependent offense. No Jimmy Butler.
No Jonathan Kuminga. No problem.
Golden State lit up the Delta Center, putting together one of their most complete offensive showings of the season.
The Warriors shot over 50% from the field and knocked down 23 threes, finishing off a tough four-game road trip with a much-needed jolt of momentum. And Moody? He was in the middle of it all.
The 23-year-old wing poured in 26 points on 9-of-15 shooting, including 5-of-9 from deep. That’s his third-highest scoring night of the season and another strong showing in what’s been a red-hot January. He’s now shooting better than 40% from three on the year, and with that kind of efficiency, he’s not just a role player-he’s a rotation lock for a team trying to maximize the window around Stephen Curry and, potentially, a new superstar addition.
But Moody wasn’t just filling it up on the offensive end. He added five rebounds, two steals, and was a game-best +28 in just 26 minutes. That kind of two-way impact is exactly what you want from your wings in today’s NBA-especially if you’re building around a player like Giannis who thrives when surrounded by shooters and defenders who can hold their own.
And Moody wasn’t alone in making his presence felt. Golden State’s young core showed up in a big way.
Brandin Podziemski flirted with a triple-double, finishing with 11 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists in 28 minutes. Gui Santos followed up his first career double-double with another strong outing-16 points, four rebounds, two steals, and two blocks in under 22 minutes.
Quinten Post and Will Richard also hit double figures off the bench, giving the Warriors meaningful contributions across the board.
Stephen Curry led the scoring with 27 points on an efficient 7-of-14 from the field, but this wasn’t a one-man show. After scoring just 83 points in Monday’s loss to the Timberwolves, the Warriors came out with purpose and balance.
Al Horford returned to the starting five and delivered a little bit of everything-nine points, five boards, eight assists, and three blocks. De’Anthony Melton chipped in 12 points and three steals in 23 minutes off the bench, continuing to be a steady presence in the backcourt rotation.
Defensively, the Warriors kept Utah’s top scorers in check. Lauri Markkanen and Keyonte George combined to shoot just 12-of-29, and once Golden State pushed the lead to 18 with just over five minutes left, the game was all but sealed.
With the win, the Warriors move to 27-22 on the season, holding firm at eighth in the Western Conference. They’ll return to Chase Center on Friday to host the Detroit Pistons, riding the high of a complete team performance-and maybe, just maybe, starting to find the kind of rhythm that could make them dangerous down the stretch.