The Golden State Warriors did not win five straight games at any point last season. They have now done it in November. When Stephen Curry was asked what changed, he needed one word. “Uh, I mean, Yax,” Curry said, per Evan Webeck.
Curry Points to Lendeborg
The answer came after a 116-113 win over the Phoenix Suns on Monday at Chase Center. It was Golden State’s fifth win in a row after an 0-3 start.
Yaxel Lendeborg did not need a huge night this time. He followed his 37-point game against the Clippers with 16 points, five rebounds and five assists. He also blocked a Jalen Green layup out of bounds late as Phoenix tried to rally.
Warriors Erase a 17-Point Deficit
The Warriors looked tired. They were playing the second night of a back-to-back and their third game in four nights, and they started 2-of-15 from three-point range in the first quarter. Phoenix led by 17 in the second quarter.
Golden State answered with a 12-0 run before halftime, led by Brandin Podziemski, who finished with 20 points. In the third quarter, the Warriors scored 42 points and tied the game.
Curry started slowly, with nine points at halftime. Then he scored 18 in the third quarter and finished with a game-high 34 points.
Warriors Keep Going After Green’s Ejection
Draymond Green returned from a rest night and was ejected in the third quarter after picking up two technical fouls. Curry said the ejection “lit a fire beneath us.”
Charles Bassey stepped in with the energy. He scored a career-high 19 points off the bench. Georges Niang hit the three-pointer that put Golden State ahead for good with under four minutes to go, and De’Anthony Melton made two big defensive plays late to hold the lead.
Curry Is Hitting a Rhythm
What’s Next for the Golden State Warriors
The Warriors are 5-3 and will try to extend the streak to six on Thursday, when the Miami Heat visit Chase Center. A rookie who keeps raising the bar, Curry playing at 30 points per game, and a bench that is finding its footing have made this team look very different from last season’s. Ask Curry what changed, and the answer comes quickly: a rookie named Yax.
Warriors’ Stephen Curry Drops Bold Statement on Yaxel Lendeborg