A New Splash Brother? Warriors Light Up Pelicans
The Golden State Warriors were looking for someone to lighten Stephen Curry’s scoring load after his two explosive nights in San Antonio. On Sunday in New Orleans, they found their answer. And he looked a lot like a new Splash Brother.
Golden State crushed the Pelicans 124 to 106. They hit a season high 24 three pointers. And they did it with Curry scoring only nine points. Moses Moody carried everything the Warriors needed and more.
This wasn’t a cameo. It felt like a breakthrough.
Warriors Watch Moses Moody Erupt Into a Splash Brother Role
Moody has been circling this conversation for a long time. The skill was obvious. The shooting touch has always looked real. The composure has been steady since his rookie year. He produced stretches that hinted at a leap, flashes that teased real upside, but he had never delivered the definitive performance. The kind that forces people to rethink his ceiling next to Curry.
Sunday changed that.
The 23 year old opened the game on fire. He buried seven threes in the first quarter, joining only Curry and Klay Thompson as the only Warriors to ever hit that mark in a single period. By the final buzzer, he had a career high 32 points on 10 of 16 shooting and 8 of 12 from deep.
And it wasn’t just the shotmaking. It was the conviction behind every attempt. The movement off the ball. The rhythm in his footwork. He curled off screens like a seasoned sniper. He stepped into transition threes without a hint of doubt. Every window of space became a scoring opportunity.
With Curry fighting through a rare cold night, Moody took control and carried the offense. Golden State stormed out to a 44 to 28 lead after one quarter and never looked back.
If the Warriors have been searching for someone capable of filling the Thompson sized void in their offense, Moody just presented the strongest case yet.
Warriors Win Big Despite Quiet Night From Stephen Curry
Curry has carried an enormous load over the past week. Ninety five points in two nights. Heavy minutes. High usage. Relentless shotmaking. Sunday finally gave him room to breathe.
The Pelicans made him work for everything, assigning Herb Jones to every possession. Jones fought over screens, chased him off the line, and disrupted his rhythm as well as any defender in the league. Curry finished with nine points on 2 of 11 shooting, plus five rebounds and three assists.
Golden State responded exactly the way a balanced team should.
Shots were falling from everywhere. The pace stayed high, the spacing held up, and New Orleans struggled to generate momentum. An 8 to 0 burst just before halftime reset the lead and put the Warriors back in full control.
And in the bigger picture, the night showed something important. Golden State can win without Curry carrying them.
Brandin Podziemski Answers Steve Kerr’s Challenge
The Warriors also got a strong bounce back performance from Brandin Podziemski. Draymond Green mentioned earlier this week that Steve Kerr challenged the young guard to raise his level. Podziemski responded.
He scored 19 points on 8 of 13 shooting, added three rebounds and three assists, and committed zero turnovers. He also went 3 of 7 from three. The pace stayed steady whenever he touched the ball, and the decision making remained sharp throughout his minutes. Even with Will Richard starting in his place, Podziemski gave the bench the stability it needed.
The growth from Podziemski over the last three games has been noticeable. He looks more aggressive. More comfortable. More in command. These are the minutes the Warriors will need as the season gets heavier.
Veterans Keep the Warriors Organized
Jimmy Butler was efficient again with 18 points, 10 assists, three rebounds and three steals. He kept the offense balanced while Curry drew constant attention. Draymond Green filled every gap, finishing with eight points, 10 rebounds, six assists and two steals in under 25 minutes.
The blowout allowed Kerr to manage minutes. Nobody played more than Moody’s 33. Curry played just 28. And the Warriors didn’t have to push anybody after a heavy travel week.
Notably, Golden State did not face former champions Jordan Poole or Kevon Looney. Poole remained out with injury. Looney was active but did not play.
What Comes Next for Golden State
The Warriors have now won three straight for the first time this season. The pace is better. The bench looks sharper. And the group finally resembles a team that can win in multiple ways.
A tougher test awaits in Orlando against the Magic on Tuesday. Even so, the focus going into that matchup centers on Moody’s rise. His shooting, activity and confidence have changed the rhythm of the offense.
If that surge keeps building, Golden State’s search for a new Splash Brother might already be finished.
Star Winger’s Contract Silence Fuels Canucks Dream Scenario
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Los Angeles Kings winger Adrian Kempe
For NHL teams with a superstar nearing free agency, silence on contract talks usually brings bad vibes. For rivals, it sparks wishful thinking.
So while Los Angeles Kings fans worry over the stalled negotiations with
Kings GM Ken Holland recently appeared on “Canucks Central”
Adrian Kempe Hitting Free Agency Amid ‘New Salary Cap Territory’
Amid the industry changes, the 2026 offseason, as situations currently stand, could end being the craziest free agency period in league history. And not just due to the pending UFA status of
In addition to arguably the NHL’s best player, Kirill Kaprizov, Artemi Panarin, Jack Eichel, and Kyle Connor could also be free to sign with any team, starting next July. But there’s also
Kempe is one of many franchise-altering players who will be signing a contract with somebody by the start of the 2026-27 season, and with the rapidly changing contractual landscape, everybody seems to be waiting for someone else to take the leap.
“Right now, given the cap going as it is, there probably isn’t really a marketplace,” Holland said.
Kaprizov’s reported rejection of an eight-year, $128-million contract from the Minnesota Wild, which would have made him the highest paid player in the league, has pundits and prognosticators wondering how high contracts will go, and how much teams will stomach paying. While the majority of the pending UFAs will likely stay with their current team, it’s tough to imagine that all of them will.
Which would make any Canucks fans listening to Holland earlier this week imagine what Kempe could do on a line with Pettersson.
Pending Free Agent Adrian Kempe Would Look Great on Canucks’ Top Line
Talking about the standoff between Kempe and the Kings during Tuesday’s episode of “The Sheet with Jeff Marek” podcast for Daily Faceoff, Marek wondered aloud about the potential of Kempe and Pettersson lining up together, suggesting a side benefit could be the impact on Vancouver’s captain, Quinn Hughes.
“But couldn’t you see it? If he hits free agency, wouldn’t Vancouver Canucks be all over this guy after playing against him and knowing him for as long as Vancouver has?” Marek said to guest Greg Wyshinski. “And if you want to plunk someone on the wing with Elias Patterson, you want to try to prove to Quinn Hughes that, you know, we’re doing everything we can here to keep this team competitive.”
“He’s a premium goal scorer on the wing,” Wyshinski agreed. “They don’t grow on trees. But he’s also 29 though.”
Given the recent news that has come out for the Kings, it would make sense if Kempe and the team decided the time was right to part ways. With Anze Kopitar announcing that this will be his final season, Los Angeles appears destined for a youth movement behind growing players like Quinton Byfield, Alex Turcotte, Alex Lafferiere and Brandt Clarke.
Kempe, who turned 29 a few weeks ago, may not fit in the Kings’ long-term plans, especially for what NHL insiders like Paul Bissonnette of the “Spittin’ Chiclets” podcast believe will likely be over $10 million per season. But Kempe would fit nicely in the Canucks lineup.
