Kerr lauds Spencer after career high vs. Cavs: 'Pat is that motherf-----'

With Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green all unavailable Saturday for the Golden State Warriors, it was two-way guard Pat Spencer who fueled a stunning 99-94 road win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Spencer dropped a career-high 19 points in the victory to go with seven assists, leading Steve Kerr's undermanned squad in both categories while also earning some high praise from the Warriors head coach.

"He's really improved his jump shot. That's the big thing. ... And then I think the other thing is that his coach realized: Pat is that motherf-----," Kerr said postgame about the 29-year-old, courtesy of Anthony Slater of ESPN. "I think that became clear. Sorry, am I allowed to say that?"

Spencer, a third-year guard out of Northwestern, overtook his previous career high of 17 as he hit a pair of free throws with 4.1 seconds left to seal Golden State's win. He taunted Cavs fans in between both his makes by waving goodbye.

"I've always been confident, man," Spencer said after the win, according to Sam Gordon of the San Francisco Chronicle. "I just haven't had the chance to really settle in and get an opportunity to play extended minutes. I've talked about it before - my role last year was completely different. The goal for me was to come in and bring energy this year.

"They've allowed me to orchestrate a little bit, have the ball in my hands, get other guys involved, make plays. When the coaching staff gives you that level of confidence, it's pretty easy to go out there."

Spencer's 29 minutes Saturday were the second-most he's played in a game in his career. He played 32 minutes off the bench in a 110-96 loss to the Miami Heat on Nov. 19, scoring 11 points and adding a career-best 13 assists. The Warriors' star trio of Curry, Butler, and Green also did not play in that matchup.