Four games into his NBA career, Yaxel Lendeborg has already carried the Golden State Warriors to a win.
The rookie forward scored 31 points and grabbed 12 rebounds Monday night at Ball Arena as Golden State beat the Denver Nuggets 134-114 for its first victory of the season. Lendeborg also had six assists and was plus-27 in 31 minutes, according to ESPN's box score.
The win kept the Warriors from opening 0-4 for the first time since the 2007-08 season, The Associated Press noted.
Scoring without the three
Lendeborg made six 3-pointers in Saturday's loss at Phoenix. In Denver, his outside shot was off: he went 1 of 8 from deep. He made up for it by attacking the rim and living at the foul line, where he was 12 of 13. He shot 9 of 19 overall.
He set the tone early. In the first quarter he blocked a shot and went the length of the floor for a layup, then scored through contact against Nikola Jokic two trips later for a three-point play, according to the Warriors.
Late in the fourth, De'Anthony Melton threw him a lob on the run, and Lendeborg's dunk made it 119-99 with 4:36 left, per the NBA's game log.
A start with company
The Warriors said Lendeborg is the first rookie since Larry Bird in 1979 with at least 70 points, 30 rebounds and 15 assists through his first four games. It was his second straight game over 25 points and the second double-double of his career.
The team also said his point total through four games is the second highest in franchise history for a player's first four, behind only Wilt Chamberlain's 150, and that he is the first Warriors rookie since Chris Webber to reach double figures in each of his first four games.
The former Michigan forward came into the night averaging 18.7 points and 8.3 rebounds, per the AP.