If a team suddenly loses a recent All-Star from its roster, it will likely have a hard time filling the hole created by that player’s departure. But the Golden State Warriors are as well built as anyone to overcome such an absence, such is the depth of their roster.
In fairness, Andrew Wiggins’ form hasn’t been that of an All-Star player this season anyway. Regardless, the veteran forward has increased his production in recent weeks and has played a crucial role in the Warriors’ playoff resurgence.
Thursday’s meeting with the New York Knicks was Wiggins’ second straight absence for personal reasons, with Golden State winning both games by a comfortable 11 points. The franchise’s roster depth has often been an obstacle for the team this season, but that means they are well-positioned to cover Wiggins’ current departure.
Nothing signifies that more than Moses Moody, the third-year power forward who was completely out of the rotation against the Denver Nuggets on Sunday. Wiggins’ absence catapulted the 21-year-old into the starting lineup and, to the surprise of very few, Moody performed more than admirably.
The boxscore may have only shown Moody finishing with eight points and four rebounds on 3-of-9 shooting, but it didn’t indicate his impressive defensive performance against the Knicks, particularly in the fourth quarter as New York threatened to achieve a comeback victory.
Big block of time.
A big bucket of time.???? @NBCSAuthentic pic.twitter.com/JNEa2q7mth
– Golden State Warriors (@warriors) March 1, 2024
Moody played more than 25 minutes, his most since Dec. 6 against the Portland Trail Blazers. He was a game-high +23 in the 110-99 victory, with head coach Steve Kerr noting the former lottery pick’s defense during the postgame.
“I thought Moses Moody really stood out tonight. His defense against Brunson, I thought he did a great job of defending without fouling, just trying to make things difficult.”
– Steve Kerr
Between Moody and Gary Payton II, not to mention the future Hall of Fame bench duo of Chris Paul and Klay Thompson, the Warriors have the pieces to cover for Wiggins without feeling too much of a negative impact.
The win was Golden State’s seventh straight road win, their 12th win in the last 15 games overall, and now gives them a 6-1 record in games Wiggins has missed so far this season.
