Stephen Curry and Draymond Green were both watching from the sidelines, but the Golden State Warriors still had a superstar performance to celebrate on Sunday night.
And remarkably, it came from a rookie playing just his seventh NBA game. Yaxel Lendeborg delivered another sensational performance, erupting for a career-high 37 points, six assists, four rebounds and a steal to lead Golden State to a convincing 124-112 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers at Chase Center.
The 24-year-old was extraordinarily efficient, shooting 13-of-19 from the field, including six three-pointers on 11 attempts, while converting five of his six free throws. It was the perfect response to an otherwise frustrating outing against the Los Angeles Lakers two days earlier, when Lendeborg scored just six points, committed five turnovers and fouled out in 24 minutes.
YAXEL LENDEBORG: MOST POINTS BY A WARRIORS ROOKIE IN A SINGLE GAME SINCE STEPH IN 2010!
🌉 37 PTS (career-high, game-high)
🌉 6 AST
🌉 6 3PM
🌉 13-19 FGM4 straight wins for @Yaxel_Lendeborg and the @warriors! https://t.co/422cb82ur7
— NBA (@NBA) November 2, 2026
This time, the rookie looked virtually unstoppable. After the Clippers established an 11-point advantage in the opening quarter, Lendeborg helped spark Golden State’s comeback, scoring 14 points in the second period alone. His combination of physical drives, confident perimeter shooting and impressive decision-making allowed the Warriors to completely turn the contest around.
Golden State entered halftime leading 63-57, with Lendeborg already responsible for 19 points. The onslaught continued after the break.
Midway through the third quarter, Lendeborg scored five consecutive points to extend Golden State’s advantage to 83-68. And when the Clippers threatened another comeback, his fifth three-pointer early in the fourth quarter restored a double-digit lead.
While his scoring understandably dominated the headlines, his playmaking was equally encouraging. Lendeborg repeatedly recognized mismatches, attacked defensive weaknesses and created opportunities for his teammates, finishing with six assists against just two turnovers.
De’Anthony Melton contributed 21 points, including six three-pointers, while Brandin Podziemski added 17 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Brandon Williams also scored 17 off the bench.
Rui Hachimura led Los Angeles with 24 points, but the Clippers suffered their fifth consecutive defeat.
For Lendeborg, however, the evening carried historical significance. His 37 points were the most by a Warriors rookie since Stephen Curry scored 42 against the Portland Trail Blazers on April 14, 2010.
Even more impressively, Lendeborg became just the third player in franchise history to record multiple 30-point performances within his first seven NBA games, joining Hall of Famers Wilt Chamberlain and Rick Barry.
That’s extraordinary company for a player who was selected 11th overall in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was impressed with his rookie’s ability to create his own shot, acknowledging that Lendeborg’s shooting off the dribble has surpassed what the organization anticipated when evaluating him before the draft.
After opening the season with three consecutive defeats, Golden State has now won four straight games to improve to 4-3.
And while Curry remains the franchise’s unquestioned superstar, Lendeborg is rapidly establishing himself as one of the most exciting young players in basketball.
Seven games into his NBA career, the former Michigan standout is averaging 22.3 points while shooting 52 percent from the field and 41 percent from three-point range.
Those numbers might not be sustainable across an entire season, but the early signs are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
