Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg ready for second shot at Luka Dončić and the Lakers

Yaxel Lendeborg has been in the NBA for five games, and he is already looking forward to seeing Luka Dončić again. Asked whether he was eager for Friday's rematch with the Los Angeles Lakers, the Golden State rookie answered, "Absolutely. Absolutely. Yes. Yes, I am," according to SB Nation's Silver Screen and Roll. He said he would save the rest for Friday.

The first meeting went to Los Angeles, 127-105, as the Warriors opened the season with a loss. Jackson Frank of Silver Screen and Roll wrote that Lendeborg did not back down from Dončić that night, and the rookie has played like it since. Through five games he is averaging 22.6 points, 9.2 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.0 steal. He is shooting 55.1% inside the arc and 35.5% from three, and he gets to the free-throw line 7.0 times a game. Over his last three games those numbers have climbed to 27.7 points and 10.0 rebounds, with 37.5% shooting from deep.

Those numbers put a rookie at the center of the Warriors' offense five games into the season. Lendeborg shoots from outside without hesitation and uses his strength to finish through contact or draw fouls. That is how he has put up big numbers this early.

Dončić is in form too. He sat out the Lakers' win Wednesday, but before that he scored 52 points against Utah on Sunday and 41 in Tuesday's loss to Portland. SB Nation's figures have him leading the league at 36.0 points per game, along with 8.3 assists and 6.8 rebounds through four appearances. Two players who are both scoring a lot, plus a rookie who clearly wants another crack at Dončić, give Friday more edge than a usual October game.

What it means for Friday

Golden State hosts the Lakers on Friday, Oct. 30, on Prime Video. The Warriors come in at 2-3, but the record hides how the week went. After losing three straight to the Lakers, Memphis (111-108) and Phoenix (131-122), they won two in a row on the road. They beat Denver 134-114 and then held off Minnesota 119-114. The Lakers' 22-point win in the opener is the only head-to-head result so far, and Golden State has played better since.

Our board, covering 12 venues, has the Lakers favored even though the game is in San Francisco. Novig has Los Angeles at -125 on the moneyline and the Warriors at +122. On the spread, Novig lists the Lakers -2.5 at -108. The best price anywhere is BetRivers' Lakers -1.5 at -112, so the venues are about a point apart on the margin. The total is 234.5 at Novig. Pinnacle's over at 234 (-115) is the best over price, and BetMGM's under at 235.5 (-110) is the best under, a spread of a point and a half on the total. Sportsbook hold runs from 3.0% to 5.1% on the moneyline and up to 5.2% on the spread. All of the listed prices are on the game page.

The markets expect a close, high-scoring game. Golden State's two road wins included scores of 134 and 119, and whether that continues may depend on how much of the offense goes through Lendeborg when Dončić is on the floor.