The Golden State Warriors fell 126-116 to the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.comn Arena on Sunday night, but the bigger news may have emerged pre-game when head coach Steve Kerr revealed fifth-year wing Moses Moody would miss the rest of preseason due to a calf injury.
Moody had started for the Warriors in their first two preseason games, yet this untimely injury could grant Brandin Podziemski the shooting guard role back for the season opener against the Los Angeles Lakers on October 21.
Brandin Podziemski could regain his starting role thanks to Moses Moody’s injury
Golden State are hopeful that Moody will be back in time for the season opener, but the chances of him returning straight back into a starting role might be limited after missing what will be the final three games of preseason.
It’s a frustrating development for Moody who had taken a firm grip on a starting role, including impressing significantly in the preseason opener against the Lakers where he had a team-high 19 points on 5-of-7 shooting from 3-point range.
The 23-year-old was retained in Kerr’s starting lineup on Wednesday against the Portland Trail Blazers, with Podziemski making way for Al Horford as the Warriors started bigger against a young, athletic team.
Moses Moody will miss the final three preseason games with a left calf issue, per Kerr. Warriors are hopeful he can get back in time for the regular season opener. Moody hurt it in practice recently. “Not too concerned,” Kerr said.
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Podziemski got the start on Sunday against the Lakers, albeit there wasn’t much to take from the lineups and combinations given Golden State were without Moody and veterans Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Al Horford.
Podziemski took more of the on-ball point guard duties with Curry and Butler out, finishing as easily the Warriors best player in the 10-point loss. The third-year guard had 23 points, five rebounds and eight assists in his 26 minutes, shooting 10-of-16 from the floor and 3-of-7 from 3-point range that included a 14-point outburst during the third-quarter.
While he may have got more offensive opportunity than usual on Sunday, Podziemski has also shown himself an incredibly effective role player alongside Golden State’s veteran stars. It’s for that reason that he started every game after the All-Star break last season outside Game 6 of the first-round series against the Houston Rockets.
It’s also why Podziemski is now a likely starter next to Stephen Curry in the Warrior back court for opening night, albeit Kerr was not ready to emphatically state that after Sunday’s impressive performance from the former 19th overall pick.
“I can’t say that yet. We’ve got to see where we are. Brandin’s going to play a ton. He’s a hugely important player for us. But the starting lineup frankly is a little tricky for us, given the pieces and Al’s age,” Kerr said (via ESPN’s Anthony Slater).
Perhaps Moody can get himself right and back in contention to regain his role for opening night, but there’s little doubt that Podziemski has firmed as a starter based on his teammate’s injury and Sunday’s standout display.
