Warriors' Yaxel Lendeborg gets rookie lessons in best possible way vs. Lakers

Warriors' Yaxel Lendeborg gets rookie lessons in best possible way vs. Lakers originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – The lessons came in waves Friday night, and it behooves Yaxel Lendeborg to study them religiously and stash them in a corner of his mind.

The Warriors’ 112-95 rout over the Lakers gave the Warriors a 1-0 record in Emirates NBA Cup Group Play, gave the sellout crowd (18,064) at Chase Center good reason to celebrate and gave Lendeborg a reminder that an ugly personal game can end beautifully for his team.

“Them boys had my back today,” Lendeborg said.

“Them boys” were led by Stephen Curry, who poured in a team-high 31 points, Brandin Podziemski (21 points) and a bench that accumulated 50 points, 25 rebounds, five steals, two blocks and only four turnovers.

That is why, on a night when Lendeborg and his teammates were quickly torched by his first NBA nemesis, Los Angeles star Luka Dončić – whose 21-point first quarter left Golden State facing a 23-point deficit – the Warriors still walked off the floor as winners.

“They all played a great game,” Lendeborg said. “I feel like I was only Debbie Downer on the team. So, I feel like next time when I get into one of these games like this, just try my best to not be that guy like sucking up all the energy.”

This was no ordinary comeback. The Warriors outscored the Lakers by 40 (97-57) over the final three quarters – completing their biggest rally since wiping a 26-point deficit on March 1, 2015, at Boston.

All while Lendeborg looked more like a rookie than he has at any time this season. He was by turns too aggressive or too passive. His ball-handling left him vulnerable, his defense was curious, his offense barely there. He committed three turnovers in the first nine minutes and finished with a team-high five giveaways.

Lendeborg grabbed one rebound in 24 minutes, recorded zero assists and was outscored 37-6 by Dončić. When Yaxel fouled out with 2:45 remaining, after playing 24 minutes, he had grabbed one rebound and recorded zero assists.

“This is the rookie experience,” coach Steve Kerr said. “Seven turnovers the other night in Minneapolis . . . but he had a bunch of scoring opportunities the other night that he took advantage of despite the turnovers. He also had 26 points.

“And tonight the game just didn’t flow for him. It didn’t go his way.”

Yet the Warriors found a way to win their third consecutive game. Lendeborg expressed great relief at the victory and a measure of serenity in knowing this is possible when he falls far short of the standard he has already set for himself.

Asked to identify lessons he can take away from the least productive performance of his first six NBA games, Lendeborg paused for a moment.

“I don’t even know,” he said. “Like, try not to wet the bed as bad as I did.

“Or when you’re having moments like that, try to lean in on your team a little more.”

There were other lessons, too.

Lendeborg absorbed the Luka lesson. Humility is part of the package, and it can apply to any confrontation against an established star.

Lendeborg experienced the resilience lesson. This game was trending toward defeat, and he watched his teammates scrap their way to a 17-point triumph.

“Have your brother’s back, but it’s also his role in it,” Curry said. “We got to win the game, and what that means is just keep making Luka’s life as hard as possible. He’s the leading scorer in the league right now. The way he started that first quarter was ridiculous, and it was going to require everybody to be a little bit more physical, a little bit more connected, and kind of withstand some of his flurries that he had. So, of course, that’s backing Yaxel up, and that’s the collective energy of we need to win this game.”

Another lesson that was placed on Lendeborg’s blackboard is that he can foul out in 24 minutes if he’s unable to get a grip on his game or is too wound up for an individual matchup.

The goal for Lendeborg now is to apply those lessons in upcoming games. They’re going to keep coming, and how he navigates them will determine the speed of his development. He’s well ahead of the general curve, but the learning never ends.

“It’s all about the theme of him learning,” Curry said. “Trial by fire, going through the ups and downs in front of everybody. It’s a tough demand, but I think he’s built for it. And I’m pretty sure he’ll respond extremely well next game.”

Be careful betting against it.

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