Stephen Curry dropped a truth bomb on Saturday. The Warriors’ young forward, Yaxel Lendeborg, went off for 26 points, nine rebounds, and five assists in Phoenix, and Curry isn’t holding back on the praise, even calling him “Jimmy-esque.” This breakout offensive performance comes at a time when Golden State is clearly looking for new answers after their old reliable plays showed some serious age.
The Old Playbook Is Getting Predictable
Look, the Curry-Draymond Green pick-and-roll has been Steve Kerr’s bread-and-butter for years. It’s legendary, still. But on Friday night against the Grizzlies, that familiar magic just wasn’t there. Golden State blew an eight-point lead with about 3:30 left, going to that exact two-man game repeatedly, including in a tie game with under a minute left, and came up with zero points. Curry himself admitted it afterward, leaning in the hallway, “It’s still very effective. But if we had to diagnose it after one game, it was because I missed shots, missed a couple layups, and it was kinda predictable.”
Kerr straight up pointed out that you can’t just rely on a 38-year-old guard and a 36-year-old big trying to make magic with five sets of defensive eyes on them every single night. The Grizzlies’ Zach Edey was reading it like a book, contesting everything. Curry knows they need more from their “toolkit.” He said, “As you get through the year, you learn what you have, what you don’t have, what works, what doesn’t work.” And apparently, what might just work is putting the ball in Yaxel Lendeborg’s hands.
Lendeborg Steps Up Big Time
Saturday night in Phoenix was a huge test, a proper offensive trial, and Lendeborg absolutely crushed it. With Curry, Green, and Al Horford resting on a back-to-back, and Brandin Podziemski out with a sore back, the stage was set for the young guns. Graham Ike and Charles Bassey showed flashes with their rebounding and defensive activity, hinting at a future center rotation. De’Anthony Melton found his rhythm, draining four threes, and new signee Brandon Williams attacked the rim relentlessly for a 20-point night. But the spotlight was on the 6-foot-9 Lendeborg, who became Golden State’s de-facto lead ballhandler and primary offensive decision-maker for long stretches.
His stat line was legit: 26 points, nine rebounds, five assists. That’s a serious night for anyone, let alone a rookie finding his offensive footing. Curry’s praise? It’s huge. He told the Chronicle, Lendeborg “is so calm with the ball in his hands, as a playmaker. And he can get schemes going where, you highlight that, and put him in a position to be successful with spacing around him.” Curry even went as far as comparing him to the injured Jimmy Butler, saying it’s “very Jimmy-esque in a way, but a different way. Where he can slow possessions down and create a threat, whether it’s picking on a mismatch or driving the lane with space where nobody can really stay in front of him. And make teams make decisions.” Coach Kerr tossed this 24-year-old rookie the keys to a banged-up Golden State squad, and he definitely didn’t hit too many curbs.
What’s Next for the Rookie?
After his defensive welcome to the league against Luka Dončić and the Lakers in the opener, Saturday night was Lendeborg’s first real offensive showcase. The Warriors are clearly exploring new options as the season progresses, and a performance like this from a rookie is exactly the kind of “toolkit” expansion Curry was talking about. What will this mean for Lendeborg’s role moving forward? Keep your eyes locked on this young big, because he just put the league on notice that he’s a player who can create real problems for defenses.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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