Pat Spencer shines to lead Warriors to Summer League semifinals

Golden State Warriors’ Pat Spencer (61) drives to the basket to score his first basket during his Warriors debut against the Memphis Grizzlies in the fourth quarter of an NBA game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, California, on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

For the Golden State Warriors, the path to the NBA Summer League playoffs was simple: win and compete.

In a back-and-forth game, the Warriors held off a strong effort from the Oklahoma City Thunder, beating the winless Western Conference team 90-83 to advance to the NBA Summer League semifinals. Golden State will play the top-seeded Miami Heat on Sunday.

Pat Spencer led the Warriors with 17 points and seven assists. Summer League star Daeqwon Plowden had 13 points and Kevin Knox II added 14 points and 10 rebounds.

“I think we’re playing the right way,” Spencer told NBA TV in a postgame interview. “It’s very easy to come here in summer league and try to create one-on-one opportunities, but we feel like if we move the ball and play the right way, everybody eats. Not many teams move the ball, make the right cuts and play the right way, so we appreciate that.”

After a slow start in the first quarter, the Warriors found their rhythm in the second quarter.

Shaken by Spencer’s play, Golden State led by as many as 11 points in the second quarter. But the Thunder’s offense took advantage of some defensive lapses to end the first half on an 8-0 run and stay within striking distance.

Spencer had 10 points and four assists to lead the Warriors after the first two quarters. Hunter Maldonado led Oklahoma City with 14 points.

The Thunder had one of their best shooting performances in the third quarter, but the Warriors’ defense kept them ahead.

Kevin Knox II’s two-handed slam made it 52-44 with four minutes left. Oklahoma City briefly cut Golden State’s lead to one with less than a minute left in the quarter, but Spencer closed the period strong. He went on a 5-0 run of his own to end the quarter, capped by a steal and a layup in the final second.

Both teams kept each other in an even balance in the fourth quarter.

With under three minutes remaining, it looked like the Thunder would take their first lead of the game since the opening minutes when Malevy Leons made what looked like an easy layup after stripping Ethan Thompson. But Plowden came from behind to block Leons’ layup attempt and keep Golden State’s lead at 80-79.

Oklahoma City tied the game on free throws, but the Warriors made just enough mistakes to pull away.

With the score tied at 80, Yuri Collins made a left-wing 3-pointer to give the Warriors an 83-80 lead. Two possessions later, Plowden made another athletic play, this time hitting a put back with just over a minute left. The final blow came when Jackson Rowe knocked down a corner 3-pointer off a drive-and-kick pass from Spencer, making it 88-83 with 55 seconds left.

Golden State remains undefeated in Summer League play. The Warriors are 4-0 in Las Vegas and recently went 3-0 in the California Classic earlier this month.

The last time the Warriors won a Summer League championship was in 2013 – with a team featuring Draymond Green, Kent Bazemore and Ian Clark.

Post shows flashes in debut match

Rookie Quinten Post played well in his first game as a Warrior, despite the limited playing minutes.

He showed he can stretch the floor when he scored his first basket with a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer from the top of the key on a pass from Spencer.

He finished Friday’s game with 10 points and three rebounds in 14 minutes, going 2 of 4 from beyond the arc.

Post missed Golden State’s first six games with a minor leg injury.