Golden State Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg exploded for 37 points in Sunday’s 124-112 win over the LA Clippers — the most by a Warriors rookie since Stephen Curry in 2010.
Lendeborg shot 13-of-19 from the field and drained six three-pointers on a night when Curry and Draymond Green were rested ahead of Monday’s game against Phoenix. The 6-foot-10 forward has now scored 30 or more points twice in the first two weeks of his NBA career after reaching that mark only once across 112 college games.
“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.
Coach Steve Kerr admitted he did not see this level of production coming so soon. “We knew he was a good shooter… but I didn’t expect what I saw tonight.”
Lendeborg arrived in the NBA with a reputation as a skilled, versatile wing rather than a primary scorer. After three years in junior college he averaged 13.8 and 17.7 points at UAB, then 15.1 during Michigan’s national championship run. His three-point shooting improved dramatically once Michigan coaches encouraged him to take more attempts.
He is currently averaging 22.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists and has quickly emerged as a legitimate Rookie of the Year candidate while filling the secondary scoring void left by Jimmy Butler’s ACL injury last season.
Lendeborg also learned a late-game lesson on Sunday. With the Warriors leading comfortably, teammates urged him to chase 40 points. He missed three difficult threes, allowing the Clippers to cut the deficit to eight before Kerr removed him. “I’ve never been a stat chaser in my life,” he said afterwards. “Falling into peer pressure like I did just now was bad on my part.”
The Warriors closed out the win for their fourth straight victory after an 0-3 start, with Lendeborg’s rapid rise already shifting expectations for the season.