Yaxel Lendeborg scored 31 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead the Golden State Warriors to a 134-114 victory against the Denver Nuggets on Monday night at Ball Arena, securing the team’s first win of the young NBA season. The dominant performance from the rookie forward out of Michigan helped Golden State avoid what would have been the franchise’s first 0-4 start since the 2007-08 campaign.
Golden State Shoots Past Denver to Avoid Winless Start
The Warriors bounced back in dominant fashion after opening their schedule with three consecutive losses. Golden State shot 54.1 percent from the field as a team, connecting on 22 of 44 attempts from beyond the 3-point arc while outrebounding Denver 50-36. Stephen Curry contributed 24 points in the contest, pouring in 21 of them during the second half. Curry finished a perfect 8-for-8 from the field, anchoring an offensive surge that allowed the visitors to steadily pull away from the Nuggets.
Lendeborg Sets the Pace in Rookie Outing
Lendeborg put together the best final line of his young career, finishing with 31 points, 12 rebounds, six assists, and one block across 31 minutes of action. The forward went 9-of-19 from the floor, hit one of eight attempts from distance, and converted 12 of 13 free throws. Over his previous two appearances alone, the rookie has racked up 57 total points to establish himself as an immediate offensive contributor for head coach Steve Kerr’s rotation.
Basically, in all the critical moments of the game, we put the ball in his hands. And for a rookie to be that advanced already, it’s extremely rare,
Kerr said after the victory, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle.
Nuggets Struggle as Frustrations Mount in Denver
Denver stumbled defensively after the intermission, giving up 74 points to the Warriors in the second half alone. Nikola Jokic paced the Nuggets with 19 points, seven rebounds, and 11 assists before checking out for the remainder of the evening with 3:33 left on the game clock and his squad trailing by 21 points. DeMar DeRozan added 21 points for Denver, which did not count on several players due to injuries. Denver played without Alpha Diallo due to a wrist injury, Cameron Johnson with a sprained ankle, Spencer Jones because of a hamstring issue, and Julian Strawther due to a knee injury.
Frustration boiled over for Denver in the final period when forward Aaron Gordon picked up two technical fouls and was ejected from the floor after contributing seven points. The late-game struggles prompted some home supporters to stream toward the exits early on a night that featured a delayed start.
Warriors Welcome Back Key Veterans for Road Victory
The return of several foundational players helped Golden State win after the team played short-handed in an earlier loss at Phoenix. Curry, Draymond Green, and Brandin Podziemski all re-entered the lineup against the Nuggets. Podziemski made an immediate impact, finishing the night with 18 points and a game-high +33 plus-minus rating while helping orchestrate the Warriors’ perimeter attack.
