Stephen Curry looked headed for another season of carrying too much, too often, on a Golden State Warriors roster that had already been hit hard by injuries and depth issues. Jimmy Butler, Moses Moody, and Kristaps Porzingis all dealing with injuries made the picture look bleak around the 38-year-old star.
Then Yaxel Lendeborg showed up and changed the conversation.
The rookie forward has been a big reason Golden State has flipped its start from 0-3 into a six-game winning streak, and he’s done it by giving the Warriors real production right away. He’s not just filling space. He’s scoring, rebounding, passing, and making himself impossible to ignore.
Curry has made it clear he sees the difference. When asked what’s behind the Warriors’ turnaround, he pointed straight to Lendeborg: “Uh, I mean, Yax,” Steph Curry said.
That’s not to say the rookie is the only reason Golden State has found its footing, but his presence has changed the shape of the offense. With Lendeborg giving the team another reliable scorer, the pressure on Curry has eased in a major way.
He doesn’t have to force everything. He can let the game breathe a little more.
Lendeborg is averaging 21.0 points, 7.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.1 steals, and 2.3 three-point field goals made on .492/.396/.759 shooting. During the Warriors’ six-game run, he’s already posted 30-point games twice.
That matters because only two players on Golden State’s roster had multiple 30-point games in 2025-26 before that stretch: Curry and Butler.
With Butler sidelined, Lendeborg has given the Warriors a second offensive engine, and that’s made life easier for everyone around him. Role players now have two focal points to work off of, while Curry can conserve a little more energy knowing he’s not the only one who can go get a bucket in bunches.
If Butler comes back and finds his footing, Golden State could suddenly have three players capable of threatening 20 points on a nightly basis. For a team built around a 38-year-old franchise icon, that’s a huge luxury.
There’s still uncertainty around Butler’s return and what he’ll look like as a 37-year-old wing coming off a torn ACL. That’s part of why Lendeborg’s rise matters so much. He can absorb scoring load while Butler works back into form, and he could help keep Butler fresher for the playoffs if this level of play holds.
Moody is also projected to return before the end of the regular season, which only adds to the possibility that Golden State could keep climbing. But the central issue remains the same: Lendeborg has to keep proving that Curry isn’t the only volume scorer on the roster.
So far, he has.
And because he has, the Warriors are suddenly playing meaningful basketball again. That’s good news for Golden State, and it’s good news for anyone who still wants to watch Curry in games that matter.
In Other News...
Stephen Curry Just Reached Another Shooting Mark Few Ever Touch
Stephen Curry added another line to a resume already packed with them at Chase Center, knocking down a three-pointer in his 100th straight game with the Warriors. It came during a first half in which Golden State had help beyond its usual centerpiece, with rookie Yaxel Lendeborg and Brandin Podziemski contributing as the Warriors carried a lead into the stretch before halftime.
Orlando, though, did not let the moment turn into a runaway. Franz Wagner and Jamal Cain helped keep the Magic within striking distance and made the game feel competitive well into the second quarter, a reminder that even on a night when Curry reaches a rare shooting milestone, Golden State still has to finish the job against a team willing to hang around. [Read more 🡒]
Chris Mullin Just Raised The Stakes On Yaxel Lendeborgs Hot Start
Yaxel Lendeborgs first nine games have given the Warriors something real to talk about early in the 2026-27 season. The rookie has been producing across the board, averaging 21 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists while looking like a player who is already comfortable carrying a heavy load. For a team that is always watching for the next homegrown piece, that kind of start naturally gets attention.
Chris Mullin added even more weight to it this week by publicly backing the rookies trajectory. The Hall of Famer said Lendeborg could be in the Rookie of the Year conversation and even projected a ceiling that includes future All-Star and All-NBA status, which is a lot to put on a player this early. It is only one voice, and only a start, but it shows how quickly Lendeborgs opening stretch has turned into one of the more interesting developments around the Warriors. [Read more 🡒]
Klay Thompson Just Reopened A Warriors Debate Fans Can't Ignore
Klay Thompsons first game against the Warriors as a member of the Heat had the kind of emotional backdrop that always seems to follow him around the Bay Area. He scored 11 points and added three assists in Miamis loss, but the bigger takeaway came after the final buzzer, when Thompson made it clear he still carries thoughts of a possible reunion with Golden State and appreciates the support he continues to get from fans in the region.
For Warriors fans, that is the part that keeps the conversation alive. Thompson is under contract with Miami now, but he also has a player option for next season, which leaves the door open just enough to keep the speculation going. Even with the move already made, his connection to Golden State has not gone away, and this latest visit only reminded everyone how hard it is to fully close the book on a player who helped define an era. [Read more 🡒]