Yaxel Lendeborg delivered the biggest performance of his young NBA career Sunday night, scoring a career-high 37 points as the Golden State Warriors beat the Los Angeles Clippers 124-112 at Chase Center. With Stephen Curry and Draymond Green resting on the front end of a back-to-back, the rookie took over the offense, shooting 13-of-19 from the field and 6-of-11 from three while adding six assists.
Lendeborg’s 37 points were the most by a Warriors rookie since Curry scored 42 against Portland in April 2010. It was also Lendeborg’s second 30-point game through his first seven NBA appearances, putting him alongside Warriors legends Wilt Chamberlain and Rick Barry as the only players in franchise history to produce two 30-point games that early in their careers. De’Anthony Melton added 21 points and Brandin Podziemski finished with 17 points, eight rebounds and eight assists as Golden State won its fourth straight after opening the season 0-3.
The larger story is how quickly Lendeborg is proving he can contribute to a veteran team with championship ambitions. Golden State drafted him 11th overall after his national-title season at Michigan, and his versatility was expected to translate quickly. Sunday showed something more: with Curry unavailable, the rookie was capable of becoming the Warriors’ primary scorer and carrying the offense for an entire night.