Golden State Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg scored a career-high 37 points in Sunday night’s 124-112 win over the LA Clippers, the most by a Warriors rookie since Stephen Curry in 2010. Lendeborg made 13 of 19 shots, including six 3-pointers.
The performance came in his seventh NBA game, and it was his fourth game of 26 or more points. After scoring 30 points only once in 112 college games, Lendeborg has now eclipsed 30 twice in the first two weeks of his professional career.
The Warriors rested Stephen Curry and Draymond Green on the front end of a back-to-back, saving them for Monday night against the Phoenix Suns. That decision cleared the way for Lendeborg to take over the offense.
“Whenever Steph’s not in the game, it’s my opportunity to try to be the leader, be the main guy on the team,” Lendeborg said.
A Role Waiting to Be Filled
Lendeborg spent three years in junior college before averaging 13.8 and 17.7 points across two seasons at UAB. He then contributed 15.1 points during last season’s national championship run at Michigan. Scouts viewed him as a skilled, do-everything wing who best fit as a complementary piece in an offense.
Golden State, however, has needed a second scoring option beside Curry since Jimmy Butler tore an ACL last January. Lendeborg has stepped into that void with a readiness that surprised many, including himself.
“We knew he was a good shooter,” coach Steve Kerr said. “When he came into work out for us [in June], you could see the skill. But I didn’t expect what I saw tonight.”
Reinventing His Shot
Lendeborg rarely attempted 3-pointers for most of his college career, averaging only one attempt per game at UAB. At Michigan, he said then-assistant coach Mike Boynton convinced him to shoot more because head coach Dusty May planned to use him at small forward. Lendeborg made 37% of his 4.5 attempts per game in his one season there.
He said his first off-the-dribble 3 came against Maryland. “We were down and I just tried it because I’d made a couple of 3s,” he said. “I’m already taller, so it gives me an advantage. I don’t really get much reps of it.”
Against the Clippers, the 6-foot-10 forward pulled up from anywhere on the perimeter with confidence. Four of his six made 3-pointers came off the dribble, including a third-quarter flurry that had Curry celebrating from the bench.
“He’s playing this way and he really doesn’t know the NBA game yet,” Kerr said. “The game is still really fast for him, but he’s so skilled and so talented that he’s making all kinds of plays. He’s going to get a lot better.”
Chasing a Milestone
Late in what appeared to be a blowout, Lendeborg chased a personal milestone. Teammates De’Anthony Melton and Will Richard told him he was three points away from 40, so he spent the next few possessions hunting difficult 3-pointers. He missed all three, and the Clippers used the opening to cut the lead to eight. Kerr called timeout and pulled Lendeborg from the game.
“The NBA game these days can change like that,” Kerr said, snapping his fingers. “Almost every night, there’s a 25-point lead overcome.”
Lendeborg took responsibility afterward. “I’ve never been a stat chaser in my life,” he said. “Falling into peer pressure like I did just now was bad on my part. I’m a guy that loves ethical hoops. I kind of didn’t do that for the last two or three minutes.”
With Lendeborg on the bench, the Warriors held on and closed out the Clippers for their fourth consecutive win after an 0-3 start.
Early Rookie of the Year Buzz
Lendeborg is averaging 22.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists, and he has quickly become a serious early candidate for Rookie of the Year. He also pointed to his shot selection as a point of pride. “One thing I’m proud of myself is my 3-point shot diet,” he said. “Last year, if I would’ve missed like three 3s, I’m never shooting another one in the game. In Denver, I started off 0-for-5 and I kept shooting.”
Kerr summed up the impact after the win. “It’s remarkable the impact he’s making on these games in the first couple weeks of the season,” Kerr said. “It changes everything. On a night like tonight without Steph, we score 124 points and Yax is the main reason we are high powered.”