Moses Moody's development from inconsistent role player to bonafide starter has been one of the biggest reasons behind the Golden State Warriors' rise over the past 6-7 weeks.
The fourth-year wing has earned the trust of Steve Kerr with improvement on both sides of the ball, having now started in each of the past 18 games as the Warriors prepare for a playoff push.
Moses Moody's shooting has fallen off a cliff in recent games
However, Moody's form has reflected that of the team's over recent games -- spluttering at the worst possible time. The 22-year-old has shot just 5-of-29 (17.2%) from 3-point range over the past five games, with Golden State subsequently losing three games during this period.
Tuesday's disastrous 112-86 loss to the Miami Heat was Moody's worst performance since entering the starting lineup, having missed a series of makable catch-and-shoot threes early in the first-quarter that set the tone for a woeful offensive display from the visitors.
With the Heat in complete control and on their way to a blowout win, the final six or seven minutes were almost solely about whether Moody could re-find a shooting stroke that's seemingly been lost over the last week.
Instead, he proceeded to miss all four of his threes in the final period, and while the 6'5" wing took an equal season-high nine 3-point attempts for the game, Moody failed to nail a single one as the Warriors finished a paltry 9-of-38 (23.7%) from deep as a team.
This recent stretch may be a step backwards, but it doesn't take away from all the positives that Moody has delivered over the past two months. From Butler's first game in early February up until two weeks ago, Moody had a 15-game period where he averaged 12.2 points and 3.4 rebounds while shooting 37% from three on nearly five attempts per game.
His improved defense has also been a feature during this span, leading to increased playing time from Kerr following the departure of Andrew Wiggins. We saw that early on Tuesday when he forced his former teammate into a couple of early turnovers, but it wasn't consistent enough as the league's 23rd-ranked offense shot 55.8% from the floor and a ridiculous 68% from beyond the arc.
At the end of the day, it's Moody's 3-point shooting that has to be at a high level to warrant playing him over guys like Jonathan Kuminga, Gary Payton II and even Gui Santos. This recent slump has come at the worst possible time as Golden State look to secure a top six spot in the Western Conference standings, with back-to-back losses coming against teams below a .500 record.
With the shakiness of Buddy Hield off the bench, the lack of shooting among the likes of Butler, Kuminga, Payton, Draymond Green and Kevon Looney, and the defensive limitations of rookie center Quinten Post, the Warriors desperately need Moody shooting consistently to support Stephen Curry as the playoffs approach.