With the Golden State Warriors falling short of expectations this season, the last thing they wanted was losing another player to a long-term injury. But that’s what may have occurred when Moses Moody was taken off the floor on a stretcher late in the final period of Monday night’s game against the Dallas Mavericks after taking a grisly fall.
With just over a minute remaining, Moody stole the ball from Cooper Flagg and went for a breakaway dunk before landing awkwardly under the rim. Moody was off balance when he hit the dunk. He immediately motioned to the Warriors’ bench for medical assistance.
Medical personnel arrived, and a stretcher was required to safely remove him from the court, with the game paused for several minutes.
There was no immediate word on the exact injury or how long Moody would be out, but Dr. Nirav Pandya fears that the 23-year-old suffered multiple ligament damage. He characterized it as a patellar tendon rupture, patellar dislocation, or a larger knee dislocation.
“Obviously the usual battery of tests will be done by the team (i.e., X-rays and MRIs), but when you see the patella (kneecap) not in the right position, you have to worry about a patellar tendon rupture, patellar dislocation, or a larger knee dislocation (multiple ligaments).”
Coach Steve Kerr said Moody went to get X-rays after the game, but had no further update on his status. Moody was seen on crutches with his teammates. A final review of the injury will be made over the next 24 hours as he is set to fly with the team to Golden State for an MRI and further evaluation that will determine how long he will be out of action.
What’s next for the Warriors as Moses Moody’s injury puts the team at a crossroads once again?
Obviously, losing a key starter at this stage of the season would be a major blow for the Warriors. They are already without Jimmy Butler, Steph Curry, Seth Curry and Al Horford, and adding Moody to that list really depletes the lineup. He could potentially join Butler in facing a year-long recovery.
The guard missed 13 games, appearing in 59 regular-season contests, posting a career-high 11.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists this campaign.
Golden State has struggled to pose a threat in the West since Curry’s injury. With the Warriors currently sitting in the last play-in spot with a 34-38 record, their postseason aspirations will fade quickly unless they activate Curry from injury and make a push. The best option for the Warriors at the moment would be shutting down their roster for the remainder of the season and trying again next season.
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