The Golden State Warriors pulled off a gritty 128-117 victory over the Nikola Jokic-led Denver Nuggets on Sunday night at Chase Center — and the star of the show wasn’t Stephen Curry. It wasn’t Draymond Green. It was 23-year-old Moses Moody.
Moody erupted for a game-high 23 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and dished out five assists in one of the most complete performances of his young career. The outburst capped a six-week surge that has Warriors head coach Steve Kerr openly calling Moody the team’s most consistent player.
What Kerr Said About Moody
After the win, Kerr didn’t mince words when praising the third-year wing.
“Moses has been brilliant for six weeks,” Kerr told reporters. “He’s shooting the lights out… the confidence; he’s maybe been our most consistent performer. His on-ball defense; he’s top of the league against pick-and-roll. And he’s such a great teammate. He’s there for you every night, the way he works. He’s so poised.”
That’s high praise for a player who has spent most of his NBA career fighting for steady minutes. After a tough December in which he averaged just 8.8 points across 13 games, Moody has flipped the script completely since the new year.
Over his last five games, he’s posting 18.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per night while shooting 50.8% from the field and 39.0% from three. He’s also logging a robust 32.0 minutes per game in that stretch.
Kerr credited Moody’s physical growth as a major reason for the leap.
“I think he’s quicker and stronger,” Kerr said. “You saw the baseline move where he dunked it — ripped through. I think it’s a natural progression for a young guy after three, four years to grow into your body and get a little stronger, a little quicker. So I see him getting past people more now than in the past.”
Even more impressive has been Moody’s defense. With Curry, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green, and Kristaps Porzingis all sidelined, Kerr pointed out that Moody ranks among the league’s best at defending pick-and-roll actions — a skill the Warriors desperately needed Sunday.
What Moody Said About His Approach
Moody, for his part, keeps things simple.
“Simplifying the game,” he told reporters. “I know what I’m good at… the player that I am next season might not be the player that I am right now. But I’ve said it before — being where your feet are, making the best out of your situation.”
Before tip-off, Moody even checked in with Kerr about whether his role would expand with Curry out. Kerr’s answer was clear: stay exactly who you are.
“I had a conversation with Coach yesterday, and I was asking, ‘With Steph being gone, do you need me to do anything else? How does my role change at all?’” Moody recalled. “And he was saying, that’s one of his favorite things about me, just the composure and being solid.”
That maturity — refusing to force shots or try to play hero-ball — is exactly why Kerr trusts him so much.
What This Means for the Warriors
Sitting at 30-27 and clinging to the eighth seed in the Western Conference, Golden State was not supposed to beat a fully healthy Nuggets team while missing four key rotation players. Yet they did — because Moody, Al Horford, and the supporting cast refused to blink.
Moody’s two-way reliability has been a godsend during this injury-riddled stretch. He’s not a superstar, but he’s become exactly the kind of player every contending team craves: someone you can count on every single night.
Final Word
Steve Kerr didn’t praise Stephen Curry or Draymond Green after this win. He praised Moses Moody — the unsung hero who has quietly become the Warriors’ most consistent performer over the past six weeks.
Averaging 18.2 points on 50.8% shooting while anchoring the defense in the absence of the team’s biggest stars, Moody has shown exactly why the Warriors believe in him. He’s not trying to be the next Steph. He’s simply being the best version of Moses Moody.
And right now, that’s more than enough.