Warriors' Yaxel Lendeborg plays through foot soreness, scores 26 in win at Minnesota

Yaxel Lendeborg was listed as questionable before Wednesday's game in Minneapolis, but he played and backed up Stephen Curry in a 119-114 Warriors win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Golden State cleared the rookie forward shortly before tipoff. SB Nation's Golden State Of Mind reported that the left foot soreness he picked up against Denver would not keep him out.

Lendeborg scored 26 points, according to the Associated Press, and Curry put up a season-high 44. The game closed out a stretch in which the 24-year-old rookie has become central to the Warriors. Inside the Warriors On SI reported that he hurt the foot during his 31-point, 12-rebound, six-assist game against the Nuggets. That injury put him on the team's injury report for the first time this season.

With Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody out with knee injuries and Kristaps Porzingis away from the team, the Warriors could not afford to lose Lendeborg. On SI also reported that Gui Santos was ruled out with knee tendinitis about an hour before the game, which left the frontcourt even thinner. Golden State Of Mind had Lendeborg averaging 21.8 points, 9.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists through four games. Adding Wednesday's 26 raises his scoring average to about 22.6 over five games.

The Timberwolves have the league's top defensive rating, according to On SI, and they were playing their first game without Anthony Edwards, who is out after knee surgery. Golden State took control early, winning the first two quarters 30-23 and 34-25 for a 16-point halftime lead. Minnesota won both quarters after the break, 33-29 and 33-26, but never fully caught up. Golden State Of Mind's recap pointed to turnovers, missed free throws and loose perimeter defense late in the game.

What it means for Friday against the Lakers

The win brings Golden State to 2-3, and the team has now won two straight after an 0-3 start. Those first three games were a 127-105 loss at Los Angeles, a 111-108 home loss to Memphis and a 131-122 loss at Phoenix. The 134-114 win in Denver and Wednesday's win in Minnesota both came on the road and have turned the start of the season around.

Next up is a rematch with the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday, October 30, at home, streamed on Prime Video. The season-opening loss to the Lakers was Golden State's worst so far, a 22-point defeat. The Warriors have allowed more than 110 points in four of their five games, and On SI noted the team ranked 27th in defensive rating going into Wednesday. Defense remains their biggest weakness. Golden State has scored 119 or more in each game of the winning streak, and that pace will be tested against a Lakers team that held them to 105.

The main question before Friday is Lendeborg's left foot. He played heavy minutes Wednesday after being questionable, and the Warriors have little frontcourt depth behind him, so his status is the one to watch on the next injury report. If he and Curry keep scoring like this, Golden State has a chance to get back to .500 against the team that beat it worst this season. Updates are on the Warriors team page.