Yaxel Lendeborg gives Warriors a second star as Golden State wins six straight
Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg has given Steph Curry a true running mate, and the Warriors have won six straight since an 0-3 start.
The Golden State Warriors came into this season short on bodies and short on summer upgrades. Nine games in, they have something they have not had in years: a second scorer built to carry the load beside Steph Curry. Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, the No. 11 pick in the 2026 draft, has turned an 0-3 start into a six-game winning streak, and the Warriors are 6-3.
The New York Post laid out the numbers before Thursday's game. Lendeborg, a 24-year-old rookie, was averaging 21.5 points on 50% shooting and 40% from three, with seven rebounds and 3.9 assists. He and Curry were combining for 51.5 points a night, second among NBA duos behind Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Asked after his 34-point night against Phoenix what had changed for Golden State, Curry needed two words: "I mean, Yax," he told the Post.
He had reason to be generous. Curry was averaging 30 points on 42.9% from three through the first eight games. During that stretch he scored 44 at Minnesota and passed Michael Jordan for the most 40-point games in league history after turning 30. That is a sharp turn from last season, when runner's knee cost him 27 straight games. It also matters because the roster around him is thin. Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody are out for the first few months, and Kristaps Porzingis is out indefinitely.
Thursday's 120-100 win over Miami showed how the pairing holds up on an off night. According to the Associated Press, Curry was 2 of 10 at halftime before finishing with 29 points and six threes. Lendeborg filled in around him with 17 points, eight rebounds and six assists, and Draymond Green handed out a season-high 11 assists. A 26-9 run in the third quarter decided it. Curry also moved past Oscar Robertson into 17th on the career scoring list.
The rookie has brought some noise with him, too. Lendeborg said publicly that he had lost respect for Doncic after the two traded words in the opener. The Post reported that Curry, Green and coach Steve Kerr stood behind him rather than distancing themselves.
What it means for Saturday against Orlando
The Warriors host the Orlando Magic on Saturday night at Chase Center, where they have been at their best. They are 4-1 at home, and the only loss was a three-point game against Memphis. They are 2-2 on the road. The streak has been mostly comfortable. Golden State has won the six games by an average of about 13 points, with 20-point wins over the Lakers and Heat. The only tight one was a 116-113 win over Phoenix.
The early losses are still on the record. Golden State gave up 127 to the Lakers and 131 to the Suns in two of its three defeats. Since then, the Warriors have held five of six opponents to 114 or fewer. If Curry and Lendeborg keep scoring at this rate, the defense is the part of the Warriors' turnaround to watch against Orlando. Without Butler, Moody and Porzingis, that defense will lean even harder on Green and a short rotation.
