The Golden State Warriors just pulled off a surprising 134-114 blowout win against the Denver Nuggets on Monday, marking their first victory of the season, and now they are in prime position to grab a winning record and complete a three-game winning streak. But hold up, because their hot new player, Yaxel Lendeborg, got banged up during that dominant performance and his status for the upcoming game against the Minnesota Timberwolves is now questionable with left foot inflammation and soreness. This is a huge deal, especially when you look at how he’s started his career.
Lendeborg’s Monster Start and Warriors’ Injury Woes
Seriously, Lendeborg has been unreal. The dude is averaging a jaw-dropping 21.8 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game. That kind of production from a questionable player could really mess with the Warriors’ momentum as they chase that winning record. It’s tough to imagine keeping him off the court, and with no back-to-back games, you gotta hope he can tough it out. If he plays, it’ll be a showdown to watch between him and Jonathan Kuminga, which is going to be wild for the game itself and for the story.
But Lendeborg isn’t the only concern for the Warriors. Their injury report is pretty long. Jimmy Butler III is out after right ACL repair surgery, Moses Moody is out with left patellar tendon repair surgery, and Kristaps Porziņģis is not with the team. An ESPN report even says Golden State doesn’t expect Porziņģis, a former All-Star, to play another game for them. Yeah, those three are staying on the injury list for the foreseeable future, so the Dubs need all the healthy bodies they can get, especially when one of them is playing like Lendeborg.
Wolves Are Hurting Too, Big Time
The Timberwolves are walking into this game with some massive holes in their lineup, too. The biggest blow has to be Anthony Edwards. The dude is out until around the new year after his right knee injury required arthroscopic surgery. That’s a total bummer for Edwards, for the Wolves, and honestly, for anyone who loves watching NBA basketball. With Edwards sidelined, it means Jonathan Kuminga is going to have to step up big time, becoming Minnesota’s secondary scorer right behind LaMelo Ball.
And it doesn’t stop there for the Wolves. Donte DiVincenzo is also out after undergoing right Achilles tendon repair surgery. This is brutal. The guy played all 82 games for the Wolves last year before tearing his Achilles in the playoffs. He’s confident he can make it back on the court this season, but if he does, it’ll be way towards the end of the year. Both teams are limping into this one, so it’s going to be a battle of who can overcome their injuries the best.
The game tips off tonight at 5:00 p.m. PT on NBC Sports Bay Area. The Warriors are looking to capitalize on their recent surge and lock in that winning record, but it all hinges on who actually hits the court. Get ready, this could be a wild one.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Golden State of Mind.
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