The Warriors’ 85-106 loss to the Grizzlies on Monday night in Las Vegas had a little extra edge to it, thanks to the matchup between first-round picks Yaxel Lendeborg and Cameron Boozer.
Lendeborg finished with 15 points, nine rebounds, three assists and two steals, shooting 6-12 from the field. Boozer answered with 12 points, seven rebounds, three assists and three steals, going 4-12 from the floor and 1-3 from beyond the arc.
It was the second time Lendeborg had faced Boozer in his career, and the first meeting already had some history attached to it. Back in February, No. 4 seed Duke stunned No. 1 seed Michigan 68-63, and Lendeborg again came out ahead in the scoring column with 21 points to Boozer’s 18.
After this latest meeting, Lendeborg made it clear he enjoyed this one more than the college version.
“I liked this one a lot better than that Michigan vs. Duke one,” Lendeborg said. “I had a lot more chances to guard him in this one, and the same with him guarding me.”
“It was a lot more fun getting to go up against a talent like that. Sucks that we lost the matchup, but we’ll see him again in the regular season.”
“Yeah, absolutely. I’m always gonna circle that matchup… I’m excited to see him again, and hopefully we can get on the winning side,” Lendeborg added.
The on-court tone matched the words. Lendeborg repeatedly attacked Boozer inside, driving at him with force and finishing through contact. Even with both players listed at nearly the same size, the 23-year-old Lendeborg was able to overpower the 18-year-old Boozer on multiple possessions in the paint.
Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports said the matchup had the feel of something bigger than a summer league game.
“Watching Lendeborg and Boozer go against one another felt like a rivalry happening in real time. There wasn’t trash talk, but a look in their eyes, each proving who the better player is. They matched up against one another as much as possible, and neither ducked any smoke,” wrote Johnson.
If that’s any indication, this could be a matchup both players keep circling. Boozer hasn’t commented yet on facing Lendeborg, but the interest is clearly there.
The defeat dropped the Warriors to 4-2 in summer league play and gave Lendeborg his first loss in a Warriors jersey. The Warriors now turn to the Knicks on Thursday, July 16.
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Grizzlies Still Face One Defining Question After Trading Ja Morant
The Ja Morant trade left Memphis in the middle of a reset, and the first-round draft only sharpened the next question rather than answering it. Instead of coming out of the opening round with a new lead guard, the Grizzlies turned their attention elsewhere, adding Cam Boozer and Karim Lopez while leaving the point guard spot to be sorted out by the roster they already have.
That means the coming months will be about sorting through Ty Jerome, Scotty Pippen Jr., Cam Spencer, Walter Clayton Jr. and Javon Small, with each offering a different kind of case. Jeromes health and role fit matter, Pippen has shown enough to keep the conversation going, and Spencers growth as a playmaker adds another layer, but Memphis still has to decide which of these guards can be part of the long-term picture and which ones are only temporary answers. [Read more 🡒]