Golden State Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg scored 17 points and grabbed nine rebounds on Tuesday night, leading his team to a 124-98 preseason victory over a heavily depleted Los Angeles Lakers squad at the Chase Center in San Francisco.
Golden State Crushes Depleted Lakers Behind Fast Start and Yaxel Lendeborg
The Golden State Warriors wasted no time taking control of Tuesday night’s matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Chase Center. Head coach Steve Kerr decided to tinker with the starting lineup by sending out 24-year-old forward Gui Santos in place of center Al Horford alongside Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Yaxel Lendeborg, and Draymond Green.
The decision paid immediate dividends as the home team lived in transition, putting up 45 points in the first quarter and adding 36 more in the second to take an 81-53 advantage into the halftime locker room. Golden State finished the night shooting 51.2% overall from the field and racking up 32 assists compared to Los Angeles’ 20, exposing the Lakers’ ball movement and overwhelming their defense early.
“We found some good rhythm early in the game and then it was sort of sporadic from there. You saw a lot of mistakes, a lot of turnovers. But I love the intent in terms of the energy and effort.”
Steve Kerr, Warriors Head Coach
Lakers Play Without Key Starters on Second Night of Back-To-Back
The visiting Lakers faced a steep uphill battle from the opening tip. Playing on the second night of a preseason back-to-back following a Monday night victory over the Sacramento Kings, head coach JJ Redick managed a severely shorthanded roster that left seven players sidelined.
Reaves missed time due to a tweaked ankle, Kessler was out with a jammed finger, Sexton and Kaluma were sidelined with undisclosed lower-body injuries, and Dončić, Williams, and Thybulle did not suit up on the second night of the back-to-back.
Without Dončić and Reaves running the offense, the Lakers missed the two players expected to organize most of their scoring. The absences of Williams and Thybulle removed two defensive-minded wings who helped establish full-court pressure and physicality in Sacramento, leaving Los Angeles without the defensive tone-setters needed to prevent the Warriors’ massive opening surge.
Sandro Mamukelashvili provided a bright spot by getting his first start in a Laker uniform, leading the starters with 15 points, three rebounds, two assists, and one block on 6-of-10 shooting, including 3-of-4 from deep. Quentin Grimes added 12 points and three assists, while Jaden Hardy chipped in 13 points and Dalton Knecht added 11 points, though the team shot just 39.8% overall.
“I still expect us to play to our standards, and that first half did not meet my expectations. I let them know that.”
JJ Redick, Lakers Head Coach
Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg and Brandin Podziemski Lead Warriors
Following a modest four-point outing on 1-of-6 shooting against the Clippers, Lendeborg responded directly to Steve Kerr’s call for increased aggression. The rookie forward shot 7-for-11 from the field, matching Podziemski with a team-high 11 field-goal attempts while adding nine rebounds, two assists, and a block in 21 minutes and 27 seconds of action.
Podziemski bounced back from a difficult 2-for-10 shooting night in the preseason opener, scoring 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting in 19 minutes and 27 seconds. Curry finished with 16 points, five assists, and zero turnovers in only 14 minutes and 19 seconds of first-half play, while Green contributed eight assists and directed traffic as a perimeter passer before sitting out the second half alongside Curry.
Both Teams Face Quick Turnarounds in Upcoming Games
With the lopsided exhibition concluded, both franchises turn their attention to upcoming roster decisions and the remaining preseason schedule.
- The Golden State Warriors travel to Oregon to face the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night in the second leg of a back-to-back at 7:00 p.m. PT, where Curry and Green are expected to rest rather than play on consecutive days.
- The Los Angeles Lakers return home to host the Sacramento Kings on Thursday at Crypto.com Arena, with expectations that resting and injured players like Dončić, Reaves, and Kessler could potentially make an appearance.
- The Los Angeles Lakers will conclude their preseason schedule on October 16 when they host the Denver Nuggets.
Will resting and injured players like Dončić, Reaves, and Kessler actually return for the Lakers against the Sacramento Kings on Thursday?
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