The Warriors left Las Vegas with a comeback win, but the scoreboard only tells part of the story. Golden State erased a 20-point deficit to beat the Lakers 101-88 on Tuesday, yet the bigger picture was far less clean, especially with Luka Doncic out and the Warriors still staring at the same issues that have shadowed this preseason.
That’s why the most encouraging part of the night might also have been the most obvious: Yaxel Lendeborg kept showing up.
Against Walker Kessler, the first elite NBA rim protector he’s faced this preseason, Lendeborg got an immediate reality check. On three separate drives with Kessler near the play, he finished one with a left-handed layup, got one attempt stuffed by Kessler, and drew a foul on the third. Even after the huge rejection on his reverse layup try, he didn’t shrink from the challenge.
That aggressiveness mattered. Lendeborg finished with 17 points on 5-of-11 shooting and 6-of-9 at the line, and he was a major part of the Warriors’ 14-0 third-quarter surge that dragged them back into the game. He also handled the ball well in a night when Golden State coughed it up 20 times again, posting four assists against just one turnover.
On offense, there was a strong case that he was Golden State’s best player. The way he scored, kept pressure on the defense, and made things happen with the ball is exactly the kind of development this team needs.
The first 21 minutes were also a pretty blunt reminder of how much the Warriors miss Draymond Green. By the time the Lakers had pushed ahead 70-50, they were rolling on offense, while Stephen Curry was dealing with actions involving Charles Bassey that would normally go through Green.
Lendeborg’s problems showed up on the other end. He had trouble keeping Austin Reaves in front of him and gave up several layups, in part because he was torn between sticking with Reaves and worrying about the Lakers’ roller behind the play. He was trying to take away the pass instead of simply holding his ground.
That’s why Steve Kerr’s thought that Lendeborg might have to play center “out of necessity” doesn’t look like the clean answer. The Warriors’ best groups still need Green at center. The question is whether the 36-year-old can hold up physically and stay energized while taking on players much bigger than he is.
For Golden State, that may not just be a nice option. It might be the only path to survival in the first half of the season.
In Other News...
Warriors' Big Trade Gamble Already Looks More Fragile Than Expected
The Warriors summer swing for Kristaps Porzingis was always going to be judged on how it held up over time, but the first few weeks have already made the arrangement feel less settled than hoped. Golden State and Atlanta finalized the deal involving Porzingis, Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield, yet the center has been away from Warriors training camp and preseason because of illness and is expected to miss the season opener, leaving the team to wait for a key piece before it can even sort out what the new look is supposed to be.
There is still plenty of runway for the move to mean something for both sides, but the early returns have not exactly clarified the picture. The Hawks declined Kumingas team option, which sent him on to the Minnesota Timberwolves, while the Warriors are carrying a partially guaranteed Porzingis contract and hoping the health situation stabilizes soon. For now, the trade that was supposed to reshape the roster instead has Golden State watching one major addition from the sideline and wondering how much patience this gamble will require. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Preseason Experiment Exposes A Frontcourt Issue Kerr Must Solve
Preseason has a way of turning roster questions into live auditions, and Steve Kerr is using this one to see how far the Warriors can lean into flexibility. With Kristaps Porziis still an uncertainty as camp unfolds, Golden State has been toying with a starting group built around Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Gui Santos, Yaxel Lendeborg and Draymond Green, a look that underscores how much the team wants to keep its options open while sorting through the frontcourt.
The appeal is obvious for a team built on movement and decision-making, but it also highlights the pressure Kerr is trying to manage at center. Green remains central to everything the Warriors do, yet age and workload make it harder to ask him to anchor the middle every night, especially if Porziis is limited. The experiment may help Golden State discover a new wrinkle, but it also leaves the same familiar question hanging over the roster: who is going to stabilize the front line when the games count? [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Suddenly Have A Porzingis Concern They Can't Yet Explain
Kristaps Porzingis is still working through an unspecified health issue, and for now that has kept him off the floor with the Warriors as the team waits for a clearer picture. Steve Kerr said he has been in contact with Porzingis and added that the veteran will come in to be evaluated by Golden States medical and performance staff, a routine step that at least gives the team a pathway to better understand what it is dealing with.
For a Warriors group trying to sort out its rotation and build momentum, any extended absence from a player of Porzingis caliber is a real concern. Draymond Green has already offered support and well wishes as Porzingis recovers, but the bigger question remains unanswered for Golden State: how long this issue will linger, and what the next update will mean for the teams plans. [Read more 🡒]