Category: Basketball

What we learned as Pat Spencer fuels depleted Warriors' upset win vs. Cavaliers originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

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Remember all those games where the Warriors played a team without multiple stars yet still found themselves on the losing side? Saturday night in Cleveland finally was the opposite for Golden State.

The Warriors, without Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green, continued to show their competitive spirit. They only had 10 healthy players on the first night of a back-to-back while the Cleveland Cavaliers had their Big Three and the majority of their most important players. As the Warriors have learned time and time again, the game isn’t played on paper but on the hardwood. 

Behind the all-powerful Pat Spencer and a spunky bunch of role players, the Warriors pulled off a wild 99-94 upset win against the Cavs at Rocket Arena.

Spencer earned his first career start and continued to dazzle. The 29-year-old on a two-way contract scored a new career-high 19 points and was a plus-9 in 29 minutes. Spencer also had a team-high seven assists.

Scoring came up and down the Warriors’ roster. Gui Santos’ 14 points were second to Spencer, and five players scored in double figures.

Here are three takeaways from a huge Warriors win on the road.

Pat Spencer, Starting Point Guard

A major change was seen in the Warriors’ starting lineup with so many injuries. But the move wasn’t made solely because of a lack of players. Spencer on Saturday was rewarded with his first career NBA start after providing a needed spark with perhaps the two best performances of his career in back-to-back games.

Spencer on Tuesday tied his career-high of 17 points with three rebounds, six assists and one steal. He then followed that up with 16 points, four rebounds, four assists and one steal. So, what did he do in his first start? 

The first quarter wasn’t easy because of two early fouls. But then Spencer got the Warriors going in the second quarter, pushing the pace, getting into the paint and assisting on three 3-pointers. That made Spencer a team-high plus-10 through the first half with four points, two rebounds and three assists as the Warriors led by nine points.

Winning time is Spencer time. He scored six fourth-quarter points against OKC, 12 in Philadelphia and another 12 in Cleveland with multiple clutch shots made. Spencer in the second half scored 15 points with two rebounds and four assists.

How JK, Podz Responded

During Steve Kerr’s pregame press conference, the Warriors coach laid out the best paths to success for Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski, two former first-round NBA draft picks who have struggled as of late. 

“Well, JK, it’s always run the floor, take care of the ball – the turnovers have been an issue lately,” Kerr told reporters. “So I’m really urging him to get up the floor instead of, you know, holding back in the backcourt and asking for the ball. I want him to be the first guy down the floor, not the last.”

Kuminga was in the starting five after coming off the bench his past four games. He began by dribbling, dribbling, dribbling and missing between a couple fadeaways inside the arc, a missed three and a blocked layup. Kuminga missed his first seven shots and was the lone Warrior held scoreless in the first half, but he did have three rebounds and three assists. 

The game became easier for Kuminga in the third quarter, cutting to the hoop for easy points or getting to the free-throw line. Kuminga only played two and a half minutes in the fourth quarter. Though he did grab seven rebounds, Kuminga was just 1 of 10 from the field for four points.

“With Brandin, he’s got to get off the ball early,” Kerr continued. “When he gets into trouble is when he tries too hard to make plays on his own, instead of doing what he does best, which is to move the ball and be part of a five-man group that is really executing.”

Unlike Kuminga, Podziemski did not get the starting nod. All 10 healthy Warriors played in the first half, and Podziemski was the only one whose plus/minus wasn’t in the positive. Podziemski was a minus-1 going into halftime with five points, two rebounds and two assists.

Podziemski made a huge step-through layup with a minute and a half left and closed the game after not playing the entire fourth quarter Thursday night. The third-year guard ended as a minus-5, scoring 10 points and adding three rebounds, two assists and one steal.

Defensive Clinic

Great defense leads to offense, and that was the story for the Warriors in Cleveland. The Warriors’ defense was connected on a string and frustrated the Cavs for all four quarters. 

The Cavs came into Saturday night averaging 119.6 points per game, good for seventh in the NBA. They scored 36 in the first half and finished with 94. They average 15.3 made threes per game, good for fifth in the NBA. Their 10 threes made were five below their season average. None of this was by mistake. 

Donovan Mitchell averages 30 points per game and scored 29, but needed 26 shots. Nobody else scored 20 points for the Cavs. Evan Mobley (18 points) and Darius Garland (17 points) barely missed the mark. They also were a combined 14-of-34 shooting (41.2 percent). 

The Cavs’ 94 points was a season low. The Warriors quietly have cracked the top five in defensive rating and for the second straight game held their opponent to under 100 points.

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Al Horford admits he needs to ‘be better' amid early struggles with Warriors originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Warriors veteran center Al Horford recognizes he has fallen short since his arrival to the Bay Area. 

In an exclusive interview with The Athletic’s Nick Friedell, the 39-year-old big man reflected on his first two months as a part of Golden State, which he joined in late September on a multi-year contract.

The 19-year NBA veteran’s self-assessment? Harsh yet honest and accurate. 

“I’m not where I want to be,” Horford told Friedell on Thursday. “I would say I haven’t been very good. I understand that there’s a lot of work ahead of me, there’s more that I need to do, and I need to be better, and I feel like I will. But right now, I’m not where I want to be.”

To say that Horford’s adjustment to the Warriors has been less than ideal is an understatement. 

The former All-Star and NBA champion, who won’t play back-to-back games this season, only has featured in 13 games for Golden State, averaging career-lows of 5.6 points and 4.4 rebounds in 21.5 minutes. 

On Thursday against the Philadelphia 76ers, Horford returned after missing two weeks due to sciatica.

“It’s not so much frustrating,” Horford told Friedell. “It’s just that there are a lot of different circumstances going on. Whether it’s injury, missing time away from the team, there’s a lot of factors, and there’s no excuses, but I take all of this first part with a hint of salt, and I know that I will be better. So I know that I will be better.”

Outside of adjusting to a new system, injuries and playing for a team based west of the Great Plains, Horford and his wife, Amelia, recently welcomed their sixth child. 

It has been a whirlwind, but Horford knows exactly what parts of his game he has to improve on. 

“For me, it’s continuing to figure everything out defensively,” Horford added to Friedell. “So being more of a support on the defensive end. And then on offense, getting more comfortable in spots so I can impact the team. 

“Being able to get to the right spots to shoot the three, and just giving the team more on the offensive end. Whether it’s setting screens, getting guys open, things like that. That’s always something that I’m going to continue to try to be better at.”

Horford made his first start of the season in the Warriors’ 99-98 loss to the 76ers. 

And although his performance wasn’t the most convincing, it’s a step in the right direction for the veteran, especially during a time in which an injury-riddled Warriors could benefit from the brand of basketball that has kept Horford in the league for nearly two decades.

“That’s always been my mindset,” Horford told Friedell. “And I understand it, but right now the team needs me. We need to be a little better, and this is a part of it; it’s a part of the journey. But in my mind, I know where I need to be when that time comes.”

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Steve Kerr shares what Warriors need from Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

On the first night of a Midwest back-to-back, the Warriors will be down several key contributors — namely stars Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green — against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Without those steady veterans, coach Steve Kerr needs a big night from Golden State’s second timeline, particularly two players who have struggled lately: Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski. Before Saturday’s matchup in Cleveland, Kerr detailed some areas he needs to see improvement from that young duo.

“Well, JK, it’s always run the floor, take care of the ball — the turnovers have been an issue lately,” Kerr told reporters. “So I’m really urging him to get up the floor instead of, you know, holding back in the backcourt and asking for the ball. I want him to be the first guy down the floor, not the last. And I think that’s been an issue the last few games. I don’t think he’s running the floor that well.”

Kuminga had a strong start to the 2025-26 NBA season but hasn’t looked quite like himself since returning from a seven-game absence due to bilateral knee tendinitis.

Podziemski, on the other hand, has been thrust into a larger role while Curry is out with a quad contusion. But in Thursday’s loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, Podziemski was a team-worst minus-20 in just under 20 minutes, while third-string point guard Pat Spencer was a team-best plus-17 in 24 minutes.

“And then with Brandin, he’s got to get off the ball early,” Kerr continued. “When he gets into trouble is when he tries too hard to make plays on his own, instead of doing what he does best, which is to move the ball and be part of a five-man group that is really executing.

“That’s why Pat has closed these last couple of games and played most of the fourth quarters, if not all, because he’s doing that. So Brandin needs to get back to just focusing on the things he does best.”

With Golden State missing practically all of their veterans on Saturday, Kerr needs Kuminga and Podziemski to return to form to have any chance at taking down a talented Cavaliers squad on the road.

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Why Russell Westbrook is ‘GOAT' point guard to Kings rookie Nique Clifford originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Programming note: Watch the full “Conversations with Deuce & Mo” interview with Nique Clifford, debuting at 4 p.m. PT Saturday on NBC Sports California

Nique Clifford, as a rookie, already is playing with one of his favorite NBA players of all time.

After Kings point guard Russell Westbrook racked up his 204th career triple-double in Sacramento’s win over the Golden State Warriors earlier this month, Clifford joined NBC Sports California’s “Kings Postgame Live” and revealed that Westbrook is his top-three point guard in NBA history.

But in speaking to NBC Sports California’s Deuce Mason and Morgan Ragan on a recent “Conversations with Deuce & Mo,” Clifford clarified his stance on that ranking.

“It’s debatable. You can put Magic [Johnson] and Steph [Curry] in there, of course,” Clifford said. “But honestly, Westbrook has always been my G.O.A.T. for point guard my whole life. It’s just the way he impacts the game from all levels. He plays hard, his passion. He’s always been my No. 1 point guard. But you can argue Steph and Magic, of course.”

Clifford has stated on multiple occasions that Westbrook has been one of his “favorite players” growing up.

Now, Clifford gets to spend his rookie season — and Year 18 for Westbrook — being teammates with one of his idols.

The young rookie shared what has surprised him most since playing alongside the former league MVP.

“The fact that he’s still doing what he’s doing. Like how old is he? He’s been doing it so long and he’s still got that burst to him,” Clifford said. “He still has that same passionate energy and competitiveness. That’s been super impressive. Just as a teammate, he’s been a great dude to learn from. Seeing how he approaches it every day. Real professional.

“And always has the same energy and smile that you see when he’s playing. That’s who he is off the court, too. It’s been real cool to be a part of that and play with one of my favorite players of all time.”

The Kings traded a protected 2027 first-round pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder to move up in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft and secure Clifford at No. 24 overall.

Clifford has shown flashes of his potential in a small sample size thus far, averaging 4.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 19 minutes through 10 games this season.

Playing alongside several established veterans, including Westbrook, Clifford is in good hands in Year 1.

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