Yaxel Lendeborg's already stolen the show multiple times for the Golden State Warriors this season, but it's his rising floor that matters just as much as the ceiling performances where he drops 30+ points.
Role players can often be up-and-down with their performances and production. That's simply not Lendeborg though who continues to prove his stardom by delivering winning impact even when not entirely at his best.
Yaxel Lendeborg is already developing a high floor early in his rookie year
Lendeborg was quiet through the first three quarters against the Orlando Magic on Saturday night, but came up with big players thereafter on both ends of the floor. The 11th overall pick had 16 combined points in the fourth quarter and overtime, putting an exclamation mark on the 126-119 victory with another emphatic dunk in the final minute.
It wasn't a spectacular performance from Lendeborg by any means, yet he still wound up with 23 points, eight rebounds, three assists and three blocks on a highly efficient 9-of-15 shooting from the floor and 2-of-4 from three-point range.
This felt like an average game from the 24-year-old. The fact that could be said after 23 and eight in his 10th career game is quite frankly incredible, but is also reflective of the stature in which Lendeborg has already grown in the past three weeks.
For as exciting as the 30-point games are where he's dominant and the best player on the floor, these type of performances are just as important. Lendeborg just walking into 20 points and near double-digit rebounds helps guide the non-Stephen Curry minutes, allowing the two-time MVP to takeover and win games which he's still proving more than capable of despite being 38-years-old.
Yaxel Lendeborg is successfully taking on Jimmy Butler role
Kerr has already made sure to have one of Curry and Lendeborg on the floor at all times, giving the latter the same role Jimmy Butler possessed before his devastating torn ACL injury against the Miami Heat in January.
Lendeborg still has multiple areas for improvement, but for the moment he's successfully taking on the Butler role and posting similar numbers as a result. He's now averaging 21.2 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists on 50.4% shooting from the floor and 40.4% from three-point range on the season. Butler, meanwhile, averaged 20.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists on 51.9% from the field and 37.6% from beyond the arc prior to his injury last season.
The Warriors will soon enough have both at their disposal, but Lendeborg's versatile skillset ensures he'll still put up these type of performances that remain incredibly valuable and productive.
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