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The Warriors’ longest road trip of the season lasted an extra five minutes.
A grueling six-game excursion spread across eight days and six states came to a merciful end Monday night in a frenetic 137-131 win in overtime over the Mavericks.
The extra period ultimately cost them much more.
Moses Moody, who had scored a team-high 23 points in his first action since March 2, collapsed as he went up for what would have been a game-sealing dunk with 58 seconds left.
Moody immediately grabbed his left knee and was eventually carried off on a stretcher after the game was paused for more than five minutes. The teammates whose faces weren’t buried in their hands wore expressions of despair.
“We don’t know what it is,” coach Steve Kerr told reporters afterward, “but it sure looked bad.”
Golden State both trailed by 15 in the first half and held a 12-point lead in the fourth quarter, but it still came down to overtime after the injury-ravaged team couldn’t put away Cooper Flagg and the Mavs.
Flagg scored 18 of his game-high 32 points after halftime, but the Warriors outscored Dallas 11-5 in the extra five-minute period to earn only its second win on the six-game trip.
Kristaps Porzingis returned from low back soreness and contributed 22 points in 29 minutes, while Brandin Podziemski played 40 minutes posted a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds.
But the win was overshadowed by the loss of Moody in the final minute.
What it means
The Warriors improved to 5-12 since the All-Star break while playing without Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler and a rotating cast of other names on the injury-report.
The Mavericks are one of seven teams with fewer wins since the All-Star break.
Turning point
The Warriors were leading 136-131, but the Mavericks had possession with a little more than a minute left in the overtime period. The ball was in Flagg’s hands.
All of a sudden, it was in Moody’s.
After missing the past 10 games with a sprained shooting wrist, Moody was in prime position for a game-sealing steal-and-score. He picked Flagg’s pocket at midcourt, glided toward the rim and had nobody between him and the basket. Then his knee buckled.
MVP: Gary Payton II
The only bucket Payton didn’t convert was a desperation alley-oop at the end of regulation that apparently didn’t go down as an attempt in the box score.
Payton, also returning from a one-game absence, finished 8-for-8 from the field for 17 points in 21 minutes off the bench. Will Richard, Gui Santos and LJ Cryer all scored in double figures as the Warriors got 61 points from their bench.
Stat of the game: 17 offensive rebounds
The Warriors won the game on the offensive glass, grabbing 17 offensive rebounds that led to 23 second-chance points. The Mavericks got only five second-chance points.
Up next
The Warriors return home, where they’ll play seven of their final 10 games of the regular season. Golden State is 19-14 at Chase Center, opposed to 14-23 on the road.
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