SAN FRANCISCO – The Warriors are two games into the NBA preseason, and as they glance ahead they can see at least one caution light blinking.
The light that gauges the effectiveness of their perimeter defense, particularly at the point of attack.
That element is one of several essentials to Golden State’s success, and it has been considerably less than stellar. Opposing guards, some speedy and others shifty, are penetrating with regularity, resulting in paint points, free throws or kickouts to open shooters behind the arc.
That was visible Wednesday night in the first half – with all minutes going to starters and rotation players – of a 129-123 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. It took a massive fourth-quarter comeback by the far end of the bench to wipe out a 16-point halftime deficit.
Moses Moody started in the role of primary POA defender against Portland, with coach Steve Kerr pairing him with Stephen Curry in the backcourt. This vulnerability also was visible last Sunday, when Brandin Podziemski started alongside Curry in a 111-103 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
While it’s unreasonable to expect fantastic defense in the first week of the preseason, the Warriors can’t be delighted with a defense that allowed 39 points in the first quarter and 73 in the half.
“They were flying by us,” Kerr said. “And then we were collapsing, probably too much. And then they had a ton of threes. I think they made 10 threes in the first half.”
Wrong, coach. The Blazers drained 12 triples in the first half. They also posted a 24-16 edge in paint points.
This was Golden State’s first look at a starting lineup that might start the 2025-26 NBA regular season. Curry and Moody in the backcourt, Jimmy Butler III and Draymond Green at forward and Al Horford at center. All five posted negative plus/minus numbers in the first half.
“I didn’t think we were ready to play,” Kerr said. “I don’t know that we got a good enough look at that lineup to really know. It should fit, with Al’s shooting and we have a lot of length. Moses on the ball. They took it to us right away.”
Starting Moody against the Blazers was logical because he’s a rangy defender (6-foot-5, 7-foot wingspan) and a good 3-point shooter. The possibility of him as lead bird dog emerged late last season, after the Warriors traded Andrew Wiggins as part of the deal to acquire Jimmy Butler III, as Kerr explained before tipoff.
“He got to guard the ball,” Kerr recalled of Moody. “He got to be in the starting lineup, and he became our point of attack defender, like Wiggs was before. And so, with Wiggs leaving, that opened a void on this team, because Jimmy’s not that.”
Moody has the potential to be all of that, but it’s clear he’s still trying to master the art of staying in front of quick guards. It’s a tough assignment. He has made 74 starts over four NBA seasons, but starring in that role took Klay Thompson about 300 starts.
“They came out and hit us early,” Moody told NBC Sports Bay Area. “It felt like a different game than [against the Lakers]. “We didn’t do much game planning and preparation. But I think their speed, especially in transition, got us.”
Portland guard Shaedon Sharpe finished with a game-high 22 points in 23 minutes, on 9-of-15 shooting, including 4-of-8 from deep. He was plus-14 for the night. Backup guard Blake Wesley, blasting into the paint with relative ease, finished with nine points and six rebounds.
Three nights earlier, four Lakers scored in double figures on Sunday – and all were guards: Gabe Vincent (team-high 16 points), Dalton Knecht (12), R.J. Davis (11) and Jack LaRavia (10). Along with their 49 combined points, they accounted for 12 assists.
Golden State’s POA defense so important because there is no Victor Wembanyama waiting at the rim. There is no Anthony Davis or Rudy Gobert or Chet Holmgren. Not even a Donovan Clingan
The preseason is a time for experimenting, for seeing what might work and what shouldn’t even be tried. It’s a work in progress, and there is plenty of time to patch it. But the early returns are worth watching.
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