Steve Kerr and Warriors come to Pat Spencer realization in thanks to Stephen Curry

It's not often that an injury to Stephen Curry has proven a good thing for the Golden State Warriors, but on this occasion it's allowed Steve Kerr to realize that Pat Spencer is indeed a legitimate NBA player.

Spencer has never been able to garner consistent opportunity for the Warriors over the past two seasons, yet that might be about to change after three-straight huge performances without Curry. The two-way contracted guard broke his career-high in scoring again on Saturday, dropping 19 points and seven assists to lead Golden State to a shock victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Steve Kerr drops hilarious quote on Pat Spencer after Saturday's win

Spencer again stood up when it mattered most in the fourth-quarter, posting 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting -- including a pair of clutch threes -- to ensure the Warriors kept the Cavaliers at bay despite some nervous moments down the stretch.

There's certainly no shortage of confidence when it comes to the 29-year-old who waved goodbye to Cleveland fans while calmly sinking two free-throws in the final seconds. Spencer is now averaging 17.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 5.7 assists over the last three games, while shooting 58.8% from the floor and 75% from 3-point range.

Asked what's changed in Spencer's game in recent times, Kerr put the onus on himself with an expressive, hilarious but very true quote that reflects the thoughts of many Golden State fans this week.

While Kerr may have come to this realization, there's no way it happens without Curry's quad injury that will also see the 2x MVP miss Sunday's second night of a back-to-back against the Chicago Bulls.

Golden State chose not to go with another legitimate point guard on their main roster heading into the season, meaning Spencer, despite not signing a two-way deal until literally media day, was always going to see some level of opportunity whenever Curry missed time through injury or rest.

Spencer's now taken that opportunity and seized it with both hands, making an irresistible case to remain in the rotation even when Curry returns which could happen on Friday against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

If this impressive play was to continue leading into the New Year, the Warriors will have no choice but to convert Spencer's deal to a standard contract even though they can't legally do so right now. For now, Kerr and Golden State will continue to evaluate truly how important Spencer could be even in a healthy rotation.