Rookie Lendeborg scores 37 as Warriors beat Clippers 124-112

Yaxel Lendeborg scored 37 points to lead the Golden State Warriors to a 124-112 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday night. The rookie guard also recorded six assists in the victory. This marked the Warriors' fourth consecutive win in the season.

Lendeborg shot 13 for 19 from the field. He made six of his 11 attempts from three-point range. His scoring total represents the most points by a Warriors rookie since Stephen Curry scored 42 against Portland on April 14, 2010. The guard has now posted 20-point games in four of his first seven outings.

The performance places Lendeborg in rare company within the franchise history. He joined Wilt Chamberlain and Rick Barry as the only other Warriors to record two 30-point performances in their first seven games. Lendeborg recovered from a previous game against the Lakers on Friday, during which he fouled out. He drove the offense midway through the third quarter, scoring five straight points to extend the lead to 83-68.

The Warriors rested their two primary stars for this contest. Stephen Curry and Draymond Green sat out the game as part of the front end of a back-to-back schedule. The Clippers also played the first of two consecutive games. Brandon Williams provided a spark off the bench, scoring 17 points. The Golden State reserves combined for 40 points in the win.

The Clippers fell to a fifth straight defeat. Rui Hachimura led the visiting team with 24 points. Kobe Sanders contributed 16 points from the bench. De'Anthony Melton added 21 points for Golden State. Brandin Podziemski finished with 17 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists after a slow start.

The game followed a WNBA championship celebration for the Golden State Valkyries. The Valkyries beat the Atlanta Dream in a Game 7 on Saturday. Players Gabby Williams, Tiffany Hayes, and Kiah Stokes walked through Chase Center the night before the NBA game. The crowd cheered as they made their way to seats in the first quarter. The arena crew changed the court after Friday's NBA game and again after Saturday's WNBA finale.

Both teams return to action on Monday night. The Clippers will host the Raptors. The Warriors will host the Suns in the second game of their own back-to-back.