Jeff Chiu/Associated Press
JOSE CARLOS FAJARDO/Associated Press
Jeff Chiu/Associated Press
The Golden State Warriors won’t know the extent of the left calf tightness that took Draymond Green out of their matchup Saturday against the Washington Wizards until he undergoes an MRI.
Stephen Curry knew 10 minutes afterward the extent of his turned left ankle.
“Feels great. See you on Monday” against the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics.
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Green hobbled into the tunnel beside Golden State’s bench three minutes into its 122-114 victory over the league-worst Wizards, for whom former Warriors guard Jordan Poole made eight 3-pointers en route to a game-high 38 points at Chase Center. Green rejoined his teammates on the bench in a black hoodie and gray sweatpants in the fourth quarter, in the final minute of which Curry rolled his left ankle before hobbling down the tunnel.
Head coach Steve Kerr said Green will undergo Sunday his MRI. Then the Warriors will “just kind assess in the next couple of days and … we’ll figure out what’s next.” Curry was sitting at his locker postgame with his left ankle taped and his right thumb wrapped when he issued his statement to a gaggle of reporters.
Poole greeted him in Golden State’s locker room. Together they smiled through a short conversation.
Andrew Wiggins had 31 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Warriors (21-20), who got 26 points from Curry, 20 points from Dennis Schröder and 28 rebounds between Trayce Jackson-Davis (15 rebounds) and Kevon Looney.
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Moses Moody added 13 points in 29 minutes while absorbing playing time at power forward. He made a go-ahead layup through contact late in the third quarter, a tie-breaking 3-pointer early in the fourth and another key layup a few minutes later through Washington big man Alex Sarr.
“He always stays ready,” Wiggins said. “He’s always ready. He’s going to come in the game and he’s going to give us everything. … You can put Moses in at any time and Moses is going to do his thing.”
Green joins Jonathan Kuminga (right ankle sprain) and Kyle Anderson (left gluteal bursitis) as injured power forwards for the Warriors. Kuminga missed his seventh straight game Saturday while Anderson missed his second straight game. Reserve forward Gui Santos was the lone healthy natural power forward for 45 minutes against the Wizards (6-34).
As an energetic, switchable defender and a heady passer, cutter and screener, he averaged 20.8 minutes (7.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists) the last four games before playing eight minutes against the Wizards. The Warriors favored smaller lineups (with three guards, a wing and a center or two guards two wings and a center) instead.
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One of those wings was often Moody, who matched defensively against bigger players while making 2 of 5 from 3-point range. Kerr said Moody “really seems to thrive” at power forward. “That’s a spot he’s comfortable with using his strength, and then the ability to stretch the floor. … I thought he played a huge role in that game, just with the force that he came out with.”
A swingman averaging eight points per game while shooting 39.2% from 3-point range, Moody noted “not much changes” for him playing power forward besides guarding bigger players because “on the offensive side, a lot of times we’ve got four out anyways, so the (small forward) and (power forward) are interchangeable.”
Theoretically, Moody at power forward means three other guards or wings beside him for optimal shooting and spacing for the Warriors. Defensively, the position requires more physicality against bigger players be it in the post or as they’re cutting.
Fine by Moody, strong and sturdy with a wingspan exceeding 7 feet.
“Moses can do a lot of things that bigs can do,” guard Gary Payton II said after scoring 10. “He’s a big body. Goes in there. Fights for rebounds and 50-50 balls. So, when Steve puts him in, he knows he’s going to get a fight for Moses.”
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A steady role has eluded Moody (14.6 minutes in 214 previous games) throughout his four-year career with the Warriors, with whom he signed before the season a three-year extension worth $39 million.
Asked if he thinks he’ll play more due to Golden State’s injuries, Moody said “That’s part of the NBA. Different things. Different scenarios. Guys come in. Guys come out. As we were talking about in the beginning of the year, just the depth of the team. This is when that shows. This is when you need that. So, everybody being able to step up in fill in the roles that we need.”
Breifly: Green returned Saturday from a three-game absence caused by a disc issue and an illness. He’s missed seven games altogether during his 13th season. … Guard Brandin Podziemski (right abdominal management) missed his 10th straight game. … The Wizards set a franchise record with 22 3-pointers.
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