Warriors fans are losing their collective mind over Yaxel Lendeborg, who continued to one-up himself on Sunday in leading Golden State to a win over the Clippers without Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. It was a completely outrageous performance: 37 points in 34 minutes on 68% shooting, including six 3-pointers. The rookie added six assists.
Threw in four boards and a steal for fun. What this guy has done over his first two NBA weeks is almost beyond comprehension. We're talking about the only rookie in NBA history other than Larry Bird to card at least 100 points, 40 rebounds and 20 assists through his first five games.
His sixth career game was his lone stinker. Luka Dončić gave him a proper hazing. But Lendeborg got right back on the horse on Sunday to become the fourth rookie in history to post 37 and five in a single game on 85% true shooting.
Those 37 points are the most scored in a single game by a Warriors rookie since Curry had 42 in 2010, and Lendeborg now ranks as just the third Warriors rookie to average north of 20 PPG (22.3) over the first seven games of his career. The other two are Wilt Chamberlain and Rick Barry. Yaxel Lendeborg scored 37 points to lead Golden State to victory, the most by a Warriors rookie in a game since Stephen Curry had 42 in 2010.Lendeborg is averaging 22.3 PPG this season, he's the 3rd player in Warriors history to average 20 PPG over his first 7 career games,… pic.twitter.com/T3RgsjFPB9 "That was a huge letdown last game," Lendeborg said of putting his foot in his mouth against the Lakers during his postgame interview.
"I just try not to be a letdown again, honestly. I know I've got to keep my confidence no matter what goes on, good or bad game. And I just got to start playing with the joy that I played with the last six years of college and now here.
So I'm just continuing to try to keep playing with a smile on my face, maybe throw a little dance move like Steph every once in a while. But I'm gonna just keep trying to find my joy." Joy is an understatement. This dude's got Dub Nation flying.
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