Warriors’ Moses Moody exits with ‘bad’ knee injury; Steve Kerr fears tangled scenarios

The Golden State Warriors’ mounting injury woes took a turn for the worse Tuesday night. Guard Moses Moody exited the Warriors’ loss to the Dallas Mavericks after suffering a non-contact knee injury that left the bench—and head coach Steve Kerr—visibly shaken.

“I just saw his leg buckle and I saw him go down in a heap in pain,” Kerr said postgame. “We don’t know what it is yet, but it sure looked bad. Whatever the best-case scenario is, that’s what we’re all hoping for, but it didn’t look good.“

The injury occurred as Moody elevated toward the rim for a dunk. Upon takeoff, his knee appeared to give way, a moment captured in jarring detail on the slow-motion broadcast.

The Warriors are currently awaiting MRI results, but the atmosphere in the locker room remains somber as the team fears a long-term absence for the young wing, and brings up Kerr’s proposition to NBA stakeholders on shortening 82-game season.

The medical outlook: Evaluating Moody’s injury

The visual evidence was concerning enough for medical experts to weigh in. Dr. Nirav Pandya, an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist, noted the precarious positioning of Moody’s kneecap on the play.

“Obviously, the usual battery of tests will be done (X-ray and MRI), but when you see the patella not in the right position, you have to worry about a patellar tendon rupture, a patellar dislocation, or a larger knee dislocation involving multiple ligaments,” Pandya posted on X.

If the imaging confirms a rupture or multi-ligament tear, Moody would face an arduous recovery process that could sideline him well into next season.

A rotation in crisis

Moody’s injury is a devastating blow to a Golden State roster already stretched thin. While the league at large is grappling with stars like Jimmy Butler and Kristaps Porzingis sidelined, the Warriors are feeling the burn internally.

With Stephen Curry still hampered by a lingering ailment and the bench depth evaporating, Kerr’s tactical flexibility is reaching a breaking point.

With the postseason race tightening, the Warriors must now find a way to stabilize a reeling rotation. If Moody is out for the duration, Kerr will likely have to lean even more heavily on his younger reserve corps to keep their playoff hopes alive.