The Golden State Warriors’ injury-riddled 2025-26 NBA season took another hit as Moses Moody suffered a devastating knee injury late in overtime of the Warriors’ 137-131 win over the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center on Monday night.
The forward had just returned after missing 10 games with a wrist injury and was delivering one of his best performances of the season, finishing with 23 points, three assists, three rebounds, three steals and two blocks.
After picking off a pass from Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg in overtime, Moody seemed to have a clear path for a breakaway dunk. However, as he planted his left foot to jump, his knee gave way in a gruesome noncontact injury that left him writhing on the floor under the basket.
Moody was diagnosed with a torn patellar tendon in his left knee, ending his season and requiring a lengthy rehabilitation period.
UCSF Director of Pediatric Sports Medicine Dr. Nirav Pandya explained the recovery timeline in a video posted on X. He said a patellar tendon rupture in an athlete requires surgery to repair the tendon and reattach it to the patella (kneecap). Return-to-play timelines range from nine to 12 months.
In the video, Pandya explained that the patellar tendon plays a crucial role in important basketball movements such as jumping, sprinting, and sudden changes of direction.
“That’s why, when players have patellar tendonitis, it’s called jumper’s knee,” he said. “It’s from repetitive jumping.”
What’s Next for the Warriors After Moses Moody’s Injury?
The win against the Mavericks snapped a three-game losing streak for the Golden State Warriors, but losing Moody is a significant blow. He averaged 12.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 60 games this season.
They next face the Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards at home, then six of their following eight games are against teams bound for the postseason.
The Warriors are likely headed to the play-in tournament. They are 34-38 with Steph Curry nearing a return but remain 10.5 games behind a guaranteed playoff spot and two games behind the No. 8 seed.
