Moses Moody Shines as Warriors Beat Pelicans with Big Win

The Golden State Warriors earned an impressive 124-106 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday night, and the biggest star of the game was not Stephen Curry. Instead, it was Moses Moody, who delivered the best performance of his career. Moody scored 32 points, and what made his achievement even more special was the way he started the game. He tied the franchise record by making seven three-pointers in the first quarter alone. This powerful shooting display helped the Warriors take control early and never look back.

The game marked James Borrego’s first night as the Pelicans’ interim head coach, but it turned out to be a disappointing debut for him. The Pelicans struggled on defense, and the Warriors took advantage of every opening. Even though Stephen Curry, the team’s usual top scorer, did not make his first basket until the third quarter, Golden State still played confidently and strongly throughout the game.

Curry was coming off two huge games in San Antonio where he scored 46 and 49 points. But this time, the Pelicans focused heavily on stopping him. They pressured him on every possession, forcing him into a tough shooting night. Curry finished with just nine points on 2-for-11 shooting. Even with their superstar having a quiet night, the Warriors found success thanks to Moody, who took on the scoring responsibility with confidence.

The Warriors actually trailed 6-2 early in the game, but everything changed once Moody got going. He hit his first three-pointer at the 9:53 mark of the first quarter. After that, he kept making jump shots one after another. In the next four minutes, he added four more threes, helping the Warriors take a strong 23-9 lead. Before the end of the quarter, he hit two more threes and finished with 21 points in the opening period alone.

Moody shot an incredible 7-for-8 from long range in the first quarter. His effort put him just one three-pointer short of Kevin Love’s record for most threes in a first quarter, set in 2016. Moody also became only the eighth player in NBA history to make seven or more three-pointers in the first quarter. Other players who have achieved this include Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, the famous Warriors duo, showing that Moody joined elite company with his performance.

By the end of the game, Moody had made eight three-pointers out of 12 attempts and shot 10-for-16 overall. His previous best was 30 points, which he scored in 2022, but this game set a new personal record. His scoring helped keep the Warriors in control throughout the night.

The Warriors also got strong support from the rest of the team. Jimmy Butler III had an excellent game, recording an 18-point, 10-assist double-double. He handled the ball well, set up his teammates, and made sure the offense continued to flow even when Curry was struggling. Brandin Podziemski added 19 points off the bench, giving the Warriors an important scoring boost. Buddy Hield contributed 11 points, and Draymond Green played a key role on defense. Green grabbed 10 rebounds, the most in the game, and added eight points, six assists, and two steals.

On the Pelicans’ side, Trey Murphy III led the scoring with 20 points, followed by Jose Alvarado with 18. Jeremiah Fears added 17 points, and Saddiq Bey scored 11. However, the Pelicans fell behind 44-28 after just one quarter, all thanks to Golden State’s hot shooting start. Although New Orleans tried to fight back, they never came closer than four points after that early lead. The game eventually became their fifth straight loss.

The Warriors, meanwhile, celebrated their third straight win as they continued their long six-game road trip. Moody’s breakout performance showed that Golden State has more than one scoring threat, and even when Curry has an off night, the team can still find ways to win. If Moody continues playing with this confidence, the Warriors may become even more dangerous as the season progresses.