How Moody, Weatherspoon played to end California Classic originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO — On Sunday evening in Moses Moody’s 2022 California Classic DebutIt was the second quarter where Moody started to warm up offensively after taking off early in the first to get two stitches over his left eye. Two days later, Moody was still in the bandage at Chase Center, but wasted no time getting points on the board on Tuesday in the Warriors’ 94-70 loss to the Miami Heat.
Moody scored eight runs in the first quarter to finish with 13. After going 3-for-4 after one period, Moody finished the day 5-for-15, making only one of his seven 3-point attempts . His lone triple came after he found Gui Santos, moved into the right corner, caught a wide pass from Santos and let it fly right away.
After scoring just one run in the second quarter, Moody scored four in the third and none in the fourth. He also added three assists, three steals, two rebounds and turned the ball twice.
The Warriors keep the ball at Moody’s in the summer. The 6-foot-6 guard/wing is given the responsibilities typically handled by a more natural point guard. His basketball IQ and maturity are already highly valued by the franchise at age 20, and Golden State wants to make sure he’s more used to making quick decisions and getting his teammates in the right place.
“We know Moses can really shoot the ball,” Warriors California Classic coach Seth Cooper said after the loss. “Someone who can shoot the ball and has size and defense has to guard it. It opens defenses and corners a little easier than some smaller guards who can’t see over the top or guys who can’t shoot and teams go under and stay ahead .
“Overall, I think you see his ability to do a lot of different things and you remember how young he is. That’s going to be something that continues to evolve as he gets older.”
While he didn’t shoot lights from great distances, Moody had some strong drives and knows how to find openings for easy buckets.
Quinndary Weatherspoon joined Moody in the Warriors’ backcourt. Tuesday was Weatherspoon’s first game action of the summer, and the first since playing four minutes in the Warriors’ regular season finale on April 10, nearly three months ago. He was also away from the Warriors’ Summer League group for a handful of training sessions while looking after a family matter.
There were flashes where Weatherspoon looked like someone trying to dust off the rust, and other times he showed why he’s pushing for a Warriors roster spot.
Weatherspoon, 25, played 25 minutes and hit a team-high 14 points. He was 4-for-10 and missed both of his 3-point attempts. But he also scored six of his runs from the free throw line and missed only one try. The 6-foot-3 guard uses his athleticism to his advantage, and while Gui Santos stole the show on one highlight with a nasty pass between his defender’s legs, Weatherspoon showed his ability to finish on the rim.
In the third quarter, Weatherspoon had an impressive run that started with intercepting a foul pass, stretching across the field and absorbing contact for a three-point play.
Along with his 14 points, Weatherspoon also had three rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block on a three-point corner attempt. But he also turned the ball five times and got six fouls – the limit is 10 in the summer league.
Cooper, who last season coached Weatherspoon for the Warriors’ G League Santa Cruz affiliate, is looking for Weatherspoon to create plays that translate to the Golden State system, show he can make choices as fast as a finger snap and also an efficient screener.
“If he can become a better screener and decision maker, I think those are things that really translate into a productive player for the Warriors,” said Cooper.
RELATED: Wiseman still on track for summer league debut after big step
Every player wants to improve all aspects of their game off-season, especially if they’re fighting for a spot on the list. Weatherspoon is no different. Finding his outside shot would be a big boost.
In 11 games with the Warriors, Weatherspoon went 1-for-5 on 3-pointers and 3-for-16 from deep in his NBA career. He shot 28.2 percent in 20 G League games there last season.
The Warriors finished 0-3 in the California Classic, but there is still a lot of intrigue with James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga and Patrick Baldwin Jr. who may all be playing in the Las Vegas Summer League. Players and coaches depart for Las Vegas later Tuesday, with their first game on July 8.