With Curry sidelined, Warriors need Podziemski, Moody to return to form

With Steph Curry out for the foreseeable future with a hamstring injury, Warriors coach Steve Kerr’s best-laid plans have been torn to pieces. 

The “formula” that helped Golden State go 23-7 after the Jimmy Butler trade is no longer applicable, with Kerr searching up and down the roster for lineup combinations that can help the team remain competitive without its superstar. 

After a gritty 99-88 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals at Target Center, the Warriors’ attack sputtered in a 117-93 loss on Thursday. 

There were many culprits that led to the poor showing, but Kerr’s willingness to try various combinations was not one of them, with the coach playing 14 players, including seldom-used Braxton Key and Pat Spencer.

But as the search for offense carries on, two established contributors — Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody — are clearly struggling to adapt to new roles.

Podziemski appeared to be breaking out as a reliable scoring presence in the final weeks of the regular season, but the Santa Clara product has been up-and-down in the postseason. 

He has scored less than 12 points in each of his last five games while shooting a combined 3 for 16 from 3-point range. 

Now, with Curry out at least a week, he has to play a different style. 

“He’s playing more in the ball-handling role that he was in early in the season,” Kerr said. “And he’s at his best when he can kind of play off the second side and play as a secondary ballhandler.”

Moody was a consistent starter in the back half of the regular season as a dependable 3-and-D wing who shot close to 40% from behind the 3-point arc while defending guards and forwards.

But with Buddy Hield’s hot shooting over the last few games, Moody’s minutes have been slashed.

Since being taken out of the starting lineup for Game 3 of the Houston series, Moody has played fewer than 20 minutes in four of the past seven games, including the last three. 

In limited minutes, Moody’s offense has completely abandoned him.

 

The Arkansas alum has missed 14 consecutive shots and has not made a basket in any of the past three games, a statistic not helped by him having to throw up some wild attempts late in the shot clock.

“I feel terrible for Moses because he’s had four or five of those where he’s had to throw it up there,” Kerr said. “So he’s not in a rhythm right now, and we just have to stay with it and he has to stay with it.”

Even though Moody has not made a shot since Game 6 against the Rockets, Kerr’s faith in the young forward remains unshaken. 

The coach said he is confident Moody will break out of the slump “because I’ve watched Moses for four years and I know his character, I know his work ethic, and I know his skill.

“He’ll find his way back.”

Moody was not concerned with his shooting woes after Thursday’s loss, opting to look instead to Saturday’s pivotal game at Chase Center. 

“Game 3 is a big one,” Moody told the Bay Area News Group. “We’re going to protect home court, and we know how these series work. So we’re just going to do our job.”