The Golden State rookie who made headlines with his mouth on opening night is now making them with his game. He had said after the opener that he lost all respect for Luka Doncic over complaining to officials.
Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg had 31 points, 12 rebounds and six assists as the Golden State Warriors routed the Denver Nuggets 134 to 114 on Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, for their first win of the season.
How historic is the Warriors rookie’s start?
Lendeborg has scored 87 points in his first four games, the most by a Warriors rookie over that stretch since Wilt Chamberlain in 1959.
The last Warriors rookie with at least 30 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in a game was Stephen Curry in 2010, when Lendeborg was 8 years old.
The Warriors rookie said he is surprising himself, pointing to his 13 free throws Monday as something he never expected. Through four games, his 31 free throw attempts rank seventh in the league.
How did Lendeborg beat the Nuggets?
He missed seven of his eight attempts from deep but took over the second half with powerful drives through Aaron Gordon, Nikola Jokic and anyone else Denver put in front of him.
With Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody out injured, the Warriors rookie has a big role on the wing, and at 24 he is an older rookie considered more polished than most. Still, team insiders say he is further along offensively than expected.
The Warriors head coach called him as strong as an ox and skilled, saying the team put the ball in his hands in every critical moment. For a rookie to be that advanced, he said, is extremely rare. A Warriors veteran said Lendeborg imposes his will regardless of his age.
How did Stephen Curry play?
Curry took just one shot in the first half, a made 3, as Golden State led by four at halftime behind 15 points from Lendeborg and six 3s from the bench.
He caught fire in the third quarter, making all seven of his shots, and finished with 24 points on 8 of 8 shooting. It was only the second perfect shooting night of his career.
The Warriors still outscored Denver by more in the 21 minutes Curry sat than in the 27 minutes he played. That balance showed how much the supporting cast has grown.
Who closed out the game for Golden State?
The Warriors rookie did, alongside guard Brandin Podziemski, who had 18 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Curry and Draymond Green watched from the bench. Podziemski, in his fourth season, has become a key part of the rotation.
When Denver threatened another late rally, Lendeborg set up an Al Horford 3, finished a lob in transition and then fed Gui Santos for another 3 to end the threat.
The head coach said Lendeborg’s mix of power and passing will make him a player who closes games. Golden State next looks to build on the win.
What does the loss mean for Denver?
The Nuggets fell to one win and two losses. After their lone win, an overtime comeback against the New Orleans Pelicans, Jokic criticized fans who booed the team and said they were not welcome. After Monday’s loss, he stood by those comments, saying they were not real fans.
Golden State had been underdogs by seven points against a rested Denver team after starting the season with three straight losses. A loss would have dropped them to four losses and no wins.
With the Warriors rookie playing like a veteran, Golden State may have found the spark it needed.
