Jonathan Kuminga makes his NBA debut and Moses Moody makes return from G-League in the Warriors’ Blowout Win over the Thunder
The Golden State Warriors picked up a blowout (103-82) win over the Oklahoma City Thunder that flipped the script of the season in a matter of 48 hours. After a tough loss to the Grizzlies highlighted areas for improvement, Saturday night’s win brought the Warriors’ record to 5-1, driven by another scoring barrage from Stephen Curry in the third quarter, an aggressive Draymond Green (14 points), and a Golden State defense that held the Thunder to 35 percent shooting from the field.
The win was a reminder that Golden State’s core remains a threat in the Western Conference. It was also a brief glimpse into the bright future for the Warriors, with the team’s two first-round rookies making their respective impacts in the win.
Moses Moody carries the momentum from Santa Cruz
Moses Moody is expected to play a valuable role in a season with high expectations for the Warriors, and playing time is imperative. So it wasn’t a surprise to see Moody get some run with the Warriors’ G-League affiliate in Santa Cruz this week. Moody made the most of his playing time with the Santa Cruz Warriors on Friday, finishing with 17 points, four assists, two rebounds, and three steals on 3-for-7 shooting from three.
Moody carried that momentum into Saturday night with a strong game, finishing with six points and three rebounds in 20 minutes. The 14th pick in the draft also got some run with the starters in the second quarter, showcasing his potential to play impactful minutes as this season carries on. As Moody gets even more comfortable with the speed of the NBA game, expect his minutes to increase in the rotation as the Warriors look to keep veterans like Andre Iguodala fresh for a postseason run.
Jonathan Kuminga sinks his first NBA career basket
After Steve Kerr alluded to Jonathan Kuminga sitting for Saturday’s game (despite being available), a blowout score tends to change one’s tune. It took a 30 point lead in the middle of the fourth quarter to allow the seventh overall pick in the draft to check in for his regular-season debut. With a win all but assured, every time Kuminga touched the ball you could hear the crowd advocate for the first basket of his career.
The victory was sweet, but Kuminga’s first NBA basket was even sweeter. With a little over two minutes left in the game, Juan Toscano-Anderson dished a behind-the-back pass to Kuminga, who sank his first career jump shot from behind the arc. The crowd erupted in applause, with Curry up and out of his seat on the sideline.
It was a small but significant sample size for both first-round rookies. As the season continues on, expect Steve Kerr to experiment with both players playing valuable roles in the rotation. Whether Moody’s two-way capability proves essential or Kuminga’s offensive potential becomes an x-factor, Saturday’s showing was a small glimpse into the bright future of the two rookies.
(Photo credit: AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)