Pat

Spencer

Butler took a hard fall when Rockets wing Amen Thompson inadvertently undercut him during the first quarter. While he remained in the game in the immediate aftermath, Butler gingerly walked back to the locker room after a few possessions. Diagnosed with a pelvic contusion, he will not return to Game 2, with Game 3 scheduled for Saturday. Jonathan Kuminga, who did not play for nearly two weeks, has entered the rotation, as has Pat Spencer. Butler is expected to undergo an MRI on Thursday.

Spencer hasn’t impacted fantasy basketball this season, but he’s had some good moments for the Warriors. The team has upgraded him from a two-way to a standard contract, which means Spencer will be eligible to play in the postseason. The Warriors now have one open two-way contract slot.

While it occurred in a losing effort, Spencer had the best game of his NBA career on Friday. He scored an efficient 17 points in 20 minutes of action. While Spencer deserves credit for his performance, Golden State’s many absences had much to do with his playing time. Leave him on the waiver wire for Week 12, with the Warriors playing three games.

Wiggins and Moody were forced to exit Friday’s loss to the Timberwolves prematurely, checking out during the second quarter and not returning. With the Warriors having an NBA Cup quarterfinal on the horizon, the decision could be made to hold Wiggins and Moody out. Lindy Waters III and Pat Spencer played rotation minutes on Friday night and will do the same if the Warriors are shorthanded on the perimeter.

Spencer spent the 2022 Summer League with Washington and spent that preseason with Golden State. He’ll fill out the two-way void that was left after Lester Quinones was signed to a full contract, but he will likely spend most of his time in the G-League.