Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg Explodes for 37 Points, Leading Warriors Past Clippers

Golden State Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg delivered a career-high 37 points to lead his team to a 124-112 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on November 1, 2026. The win marked the Warriors' fourth consecutive victory, achieved despite the absence of star player Stephen Curry. Lendeborg, the 11th overall pick in the 2026 NBA draft, also contributed six assists and four rebounds in the game held in San Francisco, California.

This scoring outburst by the 24-year-old Lendeborg is the most points scored by a Warriors rookie since Stephen Curry's 42-point game in 2010. Curry, now 38, was sidelined to manage a recurring right knee issue, having averaged 33 points in the previous three games. With Draymond Green also out, Lendeborg, an American-Dominican forward, became the focal point of the Warriors' offense. The team has shown resilience, bouncing back from an initial three-game losing streak and missing last season's playoffs.

“I’m gonna just continue to try to keep playing with a smile on my face. Maybe throw little dance moves like Steph in once in a while, but I’m gonna just keep trying to find my joy,” Lendeborg commented after the game.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr lauded Lendeborg's rapid adaptation to the NBA. “He’s playing this way, and he really doesn’t know the NBA game yet… The game is still really fast for him. But he’s so skilled and so talented that he’s making all kinds of plays out there,” Kerr said. “I think he’s going to get a lot better… But it’s remarkable the impact he’s making on these games in the first couple weeks of the season.”

In other NBA action on Sunday, Luka Doncic scored 45 points and grabbed 15 rebounds to help the Los Angeles Lakers defeat the Toronto Raptors 131-125. The Lakers maintained their lead from the first quarter despite a late surge from the Raptors. Jayson Tatum scored 32 points and added seven assists as the Boston Celtics secured their fifth straight win by beating the Orlando Magic 108-97. The Brooklyn Nets earned their first win of the season, defeating the Indiana Pacers 98-90, with Michael Porter Jr. leading the Nets with 23 points. The Sacramento Kings remain the league's only winless team at 0-6.

Additionally, the NBA suspended Atlanta Hawks guard Kingston Flemings for one game without pay for intentionally elbowing New Orleans Pelicans guard Bryce McGowens in the head during Saturday's game.