Golden State Warriors · 5 notes
Gui Santos and Yaxel Lendeborg could join Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski and Draymond Green as Golden State starters, Steve Kerr said. Al Horford, at 20 minutes, comes off the bench so he or Green anchors the defense more. Kerr wouldn't commit on who plays the Oct. 16 finale.
Stephen Curry will usually guard a wing shooter, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said, "to relieve him of the... pick-and-roll defense duties." So Brandin Podziemski, Gui Santos or rookie Yaxel Lendeborg takes the opposing ball-handler when Podziemski starts beside Curry.
No gentle start for Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg. "I don't think he has a choice," Brandin Podziemski said. "He's going to be in a position where we need him to be aggressive, to win a lot of games." Podziemski also sees him guarding bigger wings like Luka Doncic.
If Kristaps Porzingis isn't available, Steve Kerr said the Warriors either "start big" with Al Horford or Charles Bassey, or put Draymond Green at center with Yaxel Lendeborg at power forward, which the 6'10 Lendeborg makes more palatable. Kerr gave no update on Porzingis.
Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg was "a little scared" to be aggressive in his debut, so he texted Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. They said they believe in him and he has "room to make mistakes." He is still "scared to talk to these guys sometimes" because of who they are.