Pat Spencer has found a new level of play over the past four games. The Golden State Warriors’ third-year guard has notched four straight double-digit scoring nights and has begun to unlock the offense as a playmaker. He’s stepped into the starting lineup for the Warriors’ past two games, marking the first time in his young career that he’s been among the opening group in the NBA.
Following Spencer’s 12-point, 6-assist night against the Chicago Bulls on Saturday, Golden State’s veteran forward, Jimmy Butler, shared some praise for the 6-foot-2 guard, noting how he’s been “hooping” in recent games.
“I mean, Pat’s been hooping, man,” Butler said. “I (expletive) love what I see from Pat. He was out there doing a damn thing today, but he still can’t shoot from the left corner. But all in all, I think we’re finally starting to figure out who we are. It’s never too early to do that, it’s never too late either, so we just need to keep striking these things together.”
Spencer is emerging as a key part of Steve Kerr’s rotation. He’s played in 17 games so far this season, averaging 7.4 points, 2.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists per night while shooting 46.6% from the field and 44.4% from three-point range. The 29-year-old is finding his footing and could be an important part of the Warriors’ depth chart as they get deeper into the season.
Golden State has a plethora of talent at the guard position. However, if Spencer can continue to impress, both as a plug-and-play starter and as part of the second unit, he could be in store for a career year, and in turn, he could give the Warriors a reliable ball-handler for when Stephen Curry misses games or goes to the bench.
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This article originally appeared on Warriors Wire: Warriors’ Jimmy Butler shares praise for Pat Spencer