Charles Barkley praised Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr’s handling of rookie forward Yaxel Lendeborg on Inside the NBA on ESPN, crediting Kerr for the confidence Lendeborg has played with this season. The comments came after Lendeborg scored a game-high 25 points in Golden State’s 115-108 loss to the Houston Rockets on Wednesday.
“Yaxel is playing with tremendous confidence,” Barkley said. “Shout out to Steve Kerr for giving him the ability.” He added that Kerr “has got a lot of faith in this kid.”
Stephen Curry played six minutes before exiting in the first quarter with right abdominal soreness, ending Golden State’s eight-game winning streak. Lendeborg scored 18 of his 25 points in the first half as the Warriors chipped at an 18-point deficit, then managed seven in the second half as Houston’s defense keyed in on him.
The 25-point night was Lendeborg’s third straight game of at least 20 points, and he finished with 10 rebounds for his third double-double of the season. Through 12 games he is averaging 21.7 points and 7.4 rebounds.
Kerr’s Bet on Lendeborg Is Also a Necessity
Barkley’s praise doubles as a description of the Warriors’ circumstance. Kerr isn’t only empowering a promising rookie; he is leaning on one because the alternative with Curry sidelined is thin.
Golden State’s reliance on Lendeborg intensified specifically after Curry left, and the rookie’s second-half drop-off as Houston zeroed in on him shows the cost of that dependence once opponents adjust. With Curry’s abdominal injury unresolved, Kerr’s trust in Lendeborg looks less like a stylistic choice and more like the roster’s only real option.
Curry’s Status Looms Over Friday’s Cup Game
The Warriors travel to face the San Antonio Spurs on Friday, Nov. 13, in Emirates NBA Cup group play, where Golden State controls its own path, and Curry’s injury has not been given a timetable. If he sits, Lendeborg will again be asked to anchor the offense.
Sources: Jedd Pagaduan of ClutchPoints; Charles Barkley on Inside the NBA (ESPN)
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