Warriors’ Moses Moody out for Midwest trip with calf strain

CHICAGO — Moses Moody will miss the Warriors’ entire four game trip to the Midwest with a calf strain. Moody was diagnosed with a mild calf strain (Grade 1) that he suffered mid way through the fourth quarter, a huge blow for a Warriors team now down some guard depth with Chris Paul out at least three weeks.

“Huge loss,” coach Steve Kerr said. “He’s been playing really well since he got back into the rotation. Obviously with the injuries that we have it’s a big loss. Hopefully it’s not too long and he can come back shortly after the trip.” Moody was bumped from the rotation for three games against the Dallas Mavericks, Orlando Magic and Denver Nuggets, but returned to the fold after Gary Payton II suffered a hamstring strain and Paul fractured his left hand, requiring surgery.

Moody was a lone bright spot in the Warriors’ last two uncompetitive losses to the Toronto Raptors and New Orleans Pelicans, scoring 21 points in each shooting 57% from 3. Now down a few players, the Warriors will call on Cory Joseph, Lester Quinones and Jerome Robinson off the bench to get some run.

The Warriors begin the road trip against the Chicago Bulls on Friday with a back to back against the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday, then head to Memphis to play the Grizzlies for a Martin Luther King Jr. Day matinee and close the road trip against the Utah Jazz. Moody will be reevaluated in 10 days from Friday.

will be honored in the Chicago Bulls’ inaugural Ring of Honor ceremony in the class of 2024 along with fellow members of the 1995 96 team that won the title, including Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Kerr’s mentor and coach Phil Jackson. Kerr attended a dinner with his former teammates the night before Friday’s game.

There will be a ceremony at halftime of Friday’s game. “It was great to be here with our team and so great of the Bulls to put it together,” Kerr said. “I’m flattered that they put it together around our game.”.