Yaxel Lendeborg Leads Warriors Past Clippers With 37 Points

Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg scored a career-high 37 points and dished out six assists on Sunday night as the Golden State Warriors defeated Los Angeles Clippers 124-112 to secure their fourth victory. Playing without Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, Golden State leaned on a dominant performance from its bench and a display from its first-year forward. The 24-year-old forward, who conquered the NCAA with Michigan alongside Spaniard Aday Mara before arriving in the NBA, also played this game without Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody.

Lendeborg Matches Historic Franchise Marks

Lendeborg shot 13 of 19 from the field, including 6 of 11 from beyond the arc, across 34 minutes of action. His 37 points marked the highest single-game scoring output for a Golden State rookie since Stephen Curry poured in 42 points against the Portland Trail Blazers on April 14, 2010. The performance gave Lendeborg his second 30-point game through his first seven professional appearances, placing him alongside Hall of Famers Wilt Chamberlain and Rick Barry as the only other Warriors to reach that milestone. Lendeborg, selected 11th overall in the draft with roots in the Dominican Republic, added four rebounds to his stat line.

The rookie took over the contest during the third quarter, sinking five shots midway through the period to stretch the Warriors’ lead to 83-68. That offensive burst provided breathing room for a Golden State squad that opened the regular season 0-3 before finding its rhythm. Before arriving in the league, Lendeborg faced family hardships, worked in warehouses — including 12-hour shifts alongside his mother, Yissel Raposo, who worked roughly 12 years in such jobs while also driving for Uber and cleaning churches on weekends — and came close to quitting sports. In his first five contests with Golden State, he has accumulated 113 points, 46 rebounds, and 20 assists, averaging 22.6 points, 9.2 rebotes, and 4.0 assists per game, placing his performance in historical NBA company alongside Shaquille O’Neal and Stephen Curry.

Before his current stint, Lendeborg registered 12 points in his debut against the Lakers, 18 against Memphis, 26 against Phoenix on October 24, 31 against Denver on October 26 (adding 12 rebounds and six assists in a 134-114 victory), and 26 against Minnesota on October 28.

Bench Contributions and Clippers Struggles

With Curry and Green sidelined on the first of two games in consecutive nights, the Warriors received a vital spark from their reserves. Brandon Williams contributed 17 points off the bench, anchoring a second-unit effort that combined for 40 points. De’Anthony Melton added 21 points with six triples, while Brandin Podziemski and Brandon Williams also chipped in 17 points each to help offset the absence of the team’s leaders.

On the opposing side, Los Angeles struggled to contain Golden State’s perimeter shooting and dropped its fifth game. Rui Hachimura led the Clippers with 24 points, and Kobe Sanders added 16 points as a reserve. Spanish rookie Baba Miller saw six minutes of action for the Clippers, finishing with two points and two rebounds.

Upcoming Schedule and Standings Context

The victory lifts Golden State’s momentum to four straight wins as the team navigates its early-season schedule. Both teams were playing the first of games in consecutive nights.

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