Yaxel Lendeborg’s latest outing was the kind that makes a rookie look a lot less like a project and a lot more like a problem. After his roughest NBA game, he bounced back with a career-high 37 points in Sunday’s 124-112 win over the Clippers, and the Warriors kept rolling without Stephen Curry or Draymond Green in uniform.
Lendeborg did plenty of damage from deep, knocking down six of 11 threes while also handing out six assists against two turnovers. Golden State has now won four straight after dropping its first three.
Joey Akeley of Warriors On SI came away convinced the outside shot is real. Through seven games, Lendeborg is hitting 40.9 percent from three, and the looks haven’t all been clean catch-and-shoot chances. He even buried two step-back threes on Sunday.
Golden State got help elsewhere, too. With Curry and Green resting, Steve Kerr went with De’Anthony Melton and Charles Bassey in the starting lineup.
Melton finished with 21 points and six made threes, while Bassey pulled down 10 rebounds. Brandon Williams added 17 points off the bench, and Al Horford hit three threes.
Toronto had a different kind of problem in its 131-125 loss to the Lakers: Jakob Poeltl never made it to tipoff. He was ruled out with shoulder bursitis, and the absence showed once the game started, as Jeremy Brener of Raptors On SI noted.
Trayce Jackson-Davis started for Toronto but was limited to just nine minutes, and the size gap was a real issue. Luka Doncic made it even tougher, pouring in 45 points, hitting eight threes and grabbing 15 rebounds.
Still, the Raptors kept chipping away. They forced 22 turnovers, including 14 steals, and managed to cut the lead to five in the final minute before the comeback ran out of steam.
Toronto remains in Los Angeles to face the Clippers on Monday, with Poeltl’s status something to monitor for a team already without Kawhi Leonard.
In Atlanta, the Hawks will be without Kingston Flemings for one game Monday against Indiana after his suspension, and the frontcourt picture isn’t much cleaner.
Jackson Caudell of Hawks On SI reported that Jalen Johnson is questionable, while Jock Landale, Mouhamed Gueye and Henri Veesaar are out. Flemings was suspended for elbowing Pelicans guard Bryce McGowens on Saturday.
Caudell pointed to heavier minutes for Aaron Wiggins and a possible opening for two-way guard RayJ Dennis as ways to cover for Flemings. Up front, Asa Newell logged more than 18 minutes after Landale was hurt Saturday and finished with 13 points and four rebounds. Caudell also mentioned rookie Zuby Ejiofor as another option, with Dorian Finney-Smith as a possible small-ball answer at center.
In Other News...
Clippers Just Got A Harsh Look At Golden States New Threat
The Clippers got a first-hand reminder that Golden State may have another young scorer worth tracking in Yaxel Lendeborg. The Warriors rookie put up 37 points against Los Angeles, the highest total by a Golden State rookie since Steph Currys 2009-10 season, and he did it while playing 34 minutes and adding 4 rebounds and 6 assists. For a Clippers team trying to measure itself against the West's better clubs, that kind of breakout from a first-year player stands out.
Steve Kerr did not sound surprised by the burst, and his postgame view only adds to the intrigue around Lendeborgs early rise. The Warriors coach praised what he has already shown while also making clear there is still plenty of room for growth, which is exactly the sort of warning sign opponents do not love hearing in November. For the Clippers, it was a harsh look at a new threat, and perhaps only the first one. [Read more 🡒]
Clippers Get A Huge Opening Against A Shorthanded Warriors Team
The Clippers are set to catch a break against Golden State, with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green expected to sit out the matchup as the Warriors continue to manage their veterans carefully. Steve Kerr confirmed the plan after consulting with the teams medical staff and the players, keeping the approach centered on rest and recovery rather than pushing either star into another game too soon.
It leaves Los Angeles facing a version of the Warriors that will look different in a meaningful way, even if Golden State still insists on staying competitive through the wear and tear of the season. Curry also addressed Jimmy Butlers ongoing recovery from an ACL injury, a reminder that the Warriors bigger challenge remains balancing health with the need to keep pace while key pieces come and go. [Read more 🡒]
Clippers Defensive Problems Exposed Again By Warriors Breakout Night
The Clippers ran into another rough defensive night as Golden State kept rolling, extending its winning streak with a 124-112 result that never really let Los Angeles settle in. The Warriors got a breakout performance from rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, who was everywhere offensively and set the tone for a group effort that kept the Clippers chasing for much of the night.
DeAnthony Melton and Brandin Podziemski each played important supporting roles, while Charles Bassey, Brandon Williams and Al Horford all chipped in to keep the pressure on. For the Clippers, the bigger concern is less the final margin than the pattern it reflects, with too many opponents finding ways to create clean looks and control stretches of the game against them. [Read more 🡒]