Lendeborg erupts for 37 points, sending curry into a frenzy
With Stephen Curry out, Lendeborg takes over: 37 points, six threes and a performance that sends Chase Center wild. But the closing minutes also bring a lesson
Without Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, both resting ahead of the matchup with the Phoenix Suns, the Golden State Warriors needed someone to take center stage. Yaxel Lendeborg didn’t need to be asked twice.
The rookie led the Warriors to a 124-112 win over the Los Angeles Clippers, finishing with 37 points on 13-for-19 shooting and six three-pointers. The performance earned him a place in franchise history: no Warriors rookie had scored that many points since Stephen Curry in 2010.
When Steph doesn’t play, it’s an opportunity for me to try to be the leader and the team’s go-to guy
Yaxel Lendeborg
What’s particularly surprising is how naturally Lendeborg is finding ways to score in the NBA. Throughout his college career, he topped 30 points just once in 112 games. As a pro, he has already done it twice in his first two weeks.
Lendeborg surprises Kerr: “I didn’t expect this”
The Michigan product’s offensive breakout is giving the Warriors something they particularly needed following Jimmy Butler’s serious knee injury: another reliable option alongside Curry.
Even Steve Kerr admitted he was surprised by how quickly his young player has adapted to the NBA.
We knew he was a good shooter. When he came to work out with us in June, you could see the talent. But I didn’t expect what I saw tonight
Steve Kerr
Lendeborg’s development has been driven primarily by his three-point shooting, something that until recently wasn’t one of his main weapons.
During his years at UAB, he attempted just one three per game. After his transfer to Michigan, the coaching staff encouraged him to shoot much more, helping transform his game.
At first, he said, it could take him 40 minutes to make five consecutive threes in practice. A few months later, he was making twenty in a row.
That work is producing impressive results: against the Clippers, four of his six threes came off the dribble, sending Curry into wild celebrations on the bench.
He’s playing so well without really knowing the NBA yet. Everything is still happening really fast for him, but he has so much talent that he can still do great things. And he’s going to get a lot better
Yaxel Lendeborg
His early-season numbers explain the excitement: 22.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game, with performances of 26, 31 and now 37 points. That production is already putting him in the Rookie of the Year conversation.
A lesson in falling short of 40
The night against the Clippers also taught Lendeborg a small lesson.
Late in the game, with Golden State comfortably ahead, De’Anthony Melton and Will Richard pointed out that he needed just three more points to reach 40. The rookie began hunting a three, forcing three unsuccessful attempts.
Meanwhile, Los Angeles took advantage and cut the deficit to eight, forcing Kerr to call timeout and send Lendeborg to the bench.
I’ve never been someone who chases stats. I let my teammates influence me, and I made a mistake. I like to play basketball the right way, and over those last two or three minutes, I didn’t
Yaxel Lendeborg
It was a candid admission from a player making his seventh NBA appearance, who has already promised not to repeat the mistake.
To Kerr, beyond the numbers and rookie mistakes, the real story is the impact Lendeborg is having on the team.
It’s incredible how much he’s impacting games after just two weeks. It changes everything. Tonight, without Steph, we scored 124 points, and Yax is the main reason our offense worked so well
Steve Kerr
Golden State was looking for someone to ease Curry’s offensive burden. It may have found him much sooner than expected.