In the second game of the sixth annual California Classic, the Golden State Warriors defended their home court on July 6 with a dominating win over the Miami Heat.
Despite playing in the Chase Center, the win was as impressive as a Summer League performance can be, as the Warriors played without rising second-year players Brandin Podziemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis. Both Podziemski and Jackson-Davis are on the team’s roster but were in Las Vegas on July 6 as a part of the Team USA Olympic training camp.
Warriors Have Great California Classic Debut
Dubs WIN 🙌 pic.twitter.com/8nF3G2mVNX
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) July 7, 2024
From the opening quarter, Golden State established a clear edge in chemistry while exploiting the lack of offensive firepower on the Miami roster. The Heat were limited to just 12 points in the first quarter and just 11 in the third, ending the game with only 66 points as a team. As a whole, Miami shot just 28.9 percent from the field and 25.8 percent from beyond the arc.
Golden State was just as dominating on offense as they were on defense, shooting an absurd 56 percent from the field. The Warriors were led by Eric Thompson, who scored 27 points off the bench while three others reached double digits. Only two players on Miami reached double figures, with Cole Swider leading the way for the visitors with 17.
Huge Effort from Daeqwon Plowden
Though Eric Thompson led the way on offense for Golden State, the Warriors were energized by a 26-point outing from Daeqwon Plowden. The former Bowling Green standout ended the game with a team-high plus-minus of +41 while making six of his nine three-point attempts.
In the third quarter, Plowden was a big part of the Warriors pulling away for good, going on a solo 11-0 run with three three-pointers. The 25-year-old has yet to make his official NBA debut and spent the 2023-2024 season with the Osceola Magic of the NBA G-League.
Pat Spencer Posterizes Josh Christopher at the California Classic
Clear the runway for Pat Spencer ✈️ pic.twitter.com/9CHMnnOYno
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) July 7, 2024
By the end of the third quarter, the game was all but put away, but Pat Spencer did not miss the opportunity to put on the highlight of the California Classic thus far. After intercepting a pass from Alondes Williams, the former collegiate lacrosse player beat Josh Christopher down the court in a foot race before throwing down a highlight-reel poster.
The memorable dunk accounted for just two of 16 total points for Spencer on the night to go with five rebounds and five assists. As the oldest player to play in the game, Spencer led all players with 27 minutes in the contest.
After spending the end of the 2023-2024 season under a two-way contract with the Golden State Warriors and Santa Cruz, Spencer remains under contract with the team but is eligible to be signed to an official deal in the offseason.
Disappointing Debut for Kel’el Ware
Though no player on the Miami Heat was particularly impressive in their opening game, many were especially disappointed by the lackluster first impression of no. 15 overall pick Kel’el Ware. Though the 20-year-old recorded five blocks, he was out-played by Warriors center Marques Bolden, a disappointing sign for Heat fans.
Entering the fourth quarter with just four points, Ware picked up garbage-time buckets to end his night with 12 points and six rebounds. While the numbers do not look awful, the 7’0″ center connected on just five of his team-high 12 field goal attempts, including 0-for-3 from three-point range.
Though the Summer League debut was not encouraging for Ware, countless future Hall of Famers have had worse performances in their own premieres. Ware and the Heat will get a chance to bounce back on July 7 against the Sacramento King’s B-team for their next California Classic showing.
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