The Golden State Warriors entered Game 5 with a remarkable opportunity to close out the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. Unfortunately, the Houston Rockets were in dominant form, creating enough distance to overcome a late surge from the Warriors' reserves to win 131-116.
For as poorly as Golden State's starters played, the Warriors were given a clear reason for optimism heading into Game 6: Moses Moody looked like himself again.
Moody entered the 2025 NBA Playoffs in the midst of what may very well have been the best stretch of his career. He'd averaged 11.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.7 three-point field goals made between Feb. 1 and the end of the regular season, starting 29 out of his 33 games played.
Unfortunately, Moody was averaging 7.3 points on .385/.316/.750 shooting through the first four games of the Warriors' first-round series against the Rockets.
On a night when no one else seemed to get anything going for Golden State, however, Moody turned Game 5 into the beginning of a redemption arc. He led a late comeback that the Warriors ultimately seemed to pull the plug on by refusing to bring the starters back in despite the Rockets returning their starting five to the court.
Nevertheless, Moody has provided the ultimate silver lining to the Game 5 loss by going off and remembering what he's capable of.
Moses Moody goes off in Game 5, sets tone for postseason resurgence
Moody went off in Game 5, posting 25 points, nine rebounds, five offensive boards, two assists, two steals, and a block in 26 minutes. He shot 9-of-18 from the field, 3-of-7 from beyond the arc, and 4-of-4 at the free throw line.
It was a welcome departure from the inefficient shooting that had plagued Moody's performances during the first four games of the series.
For Golden State, this could mark the beginning of a vastly improved level of play from the second unit. It could also act as the start of Moody's return to the starting lineup, which was an arrangement that yielded remarkable results in the regular season.
For what it's worth: The Warriors went 24-9 after Feb. 1 when Moody played, including a 22-7 mark when he started.
Unfortunately, Kerr found it prudent to bench Moody during the Warriors' past three playoff games. Brandin Podziemski has certainly justified the decision, posting 26 points, five assists, five rebounds, two steals, and one block in Game 4.
Moody, meanwhile, shot 1-of-6 from the field and played just under 12 minutes during Game 4, thus requiring Podziemski to play 40 minutes in his stead.
With Moody's resurgence, however, the Warriors can now comfortably commit to a deeper rotation of options along the perimeter. Rather than overburdening one individual, Kerr can balance the minutes more evenly between supporting players.
The process wasn't easy, but even in defeat, Moody found a way to make his mark and rediscover the form that'd made him a crucial contributor.
