Lendeborg’s all-around game helps Warriors hold off Kings 111-106 at Chase Center

Lendeborg seized the opening, then the Warriors reclaimed the half

Golden State did not need long to find its most reliable player. Lendeborg scored the Warriors’ first basket 30 seconds in, drilled a three on the next trip and kept going from there. By the 5:52 mark of the first quarter, he had 12 of Golden State’s first 16 points, a sharp start that gave the home side an early cushion before Sacramento settled into the game.

The Kings answered with their own shot creation rather than a single long run. Darius Acuff Jr. hit from deep twice in the quarter, Ben Simmons pieced together seven points in nine minutes, and Maxime Raynaud helped flip the score late with two free throws and a layup. Sacramento closed the opening period ahead 25-24, a fair reflection of how quickly the game had turned after Golden State’s fast start.

The second quarter carried the same back-and-forth rhythm, but Golden State’s best stretch came at exactly the right moment. Sacramento moved in front 54-50 on Zach LaVine’s three with 3:01 left in the half. The Warriors then finished the quarter on an 11-2 push. Georges Niang got them started at the line, Lendeborg tied it at 54, Draymond Green converted a three-point play for the lead, and Lendeborg added two more finishes to send Golden State into the break up 61-56.

Podziemski and Williams changed the third, Niang steadied the fourth

Sacramento was still close well into the third. LaVine’s layup tied the game 64-64 with 9:33 remaining in the quarter, and after Precious Achiuwa’s free throws the Kings briefly moved back in front at 70-69. That was the hinge of the game. Brandin Podziemski answered with three triples in less than two minutes of game time, turning a one-point deficit into a 75-70 Warriors lead and giving Golden State the cleanest separation it had managed since the opening minutes.

Williams then provided the late-quarter scoring punch that kept Sacramento from erasing that work. He scored on a layup at 5:47, hit a three at 4:42, added another driving finish at 3:47 and buried a 26-foot running jumper with 0.9 seconds left. That closing shot sent Golden State into the fourth ahead 89-81 and gave Williams 19 points on 7-for-8 shooting for the night, the kind of efficient bench scoring that changes a close game’s shape.

The Kings still had one more push. They cut the margin to 91-88 on Leaky Black’s three with 9:28 to play, then later pulled within 103-101 on Jonathan Mogbo’s three-point play and 108-106 on Mogbo’s free throws with 37.6 seconds remaining. Each time, Golden State found an answer. Niang hit threes at 8:46 and 7:36, then added a floater at 6:52 to keep the Warriors in control. In the final seconds, Will Richard made two free throws and Charles Bassey added one more to seal the result.

Our take: enough offence, too many mistakes

Golden State won this game where it usually matters most: shot quality that became shot-making. The Warriors hit 38 of 79 from the field, good for 48.1 per cent, while Sacramento needed 91 attempts to reach the same 38 made baskets. Golden State also won the glass 49-41, finished with 26 assists to the Kings’ 20, and outscored Sacramento 50-44 in the paint. Lendeborg’s 23-point, 10-rebound, six-assist line was the clearest individual expression of that efficiency, but the broader story was balance. Five Warriors reached double figures, and their most important scoring came from different places at different times.

The caution for Golden State is obvious. The Warriors turned the ball over 23 times in total and gave up 25 points off those mistakes. Sacramento piled up 15 steals, with Mogbo collecting five and LaVine adding three. That is a dangerous number even in a win, because it gave the Kings repeated chances to stay attached despite the poorer shooting night. If Golden State wants these better offensive stretches to mean more, ball security has to be part of the package.

For Sacramento, there was enough here to explain the late threat. Acuff was excellent with 25 points and eight assists, Mogbo filled the stat sheet with 12 points, eight rebounds and five steals, and Raynaud delivered 10 points and five rebounds in only nine minutes. Black also hit all three of his shots from deep. But the Kings left too much offence unused elsewhere. Nique Clifford went 1-for-10, De’Andre Hunter shot 2-for-8, and Daeqwon Plowden finished 0-for-5. Combined with the 49-41 rebounding deficit, that 41.8 per cent team shooting left Sacramento needing a nearly perfect finish to steal the game. It never quite got there.

Scoring moments

1. 1st Quarter · 11:30

   Yaxel Lendeborg makes 4-foot layup (Draymond Green assists)

2. 1st Quarter · 11:11

   Keegan Murray makes free throw 1 of 2

3. 1st Quarter · 10:56

   Yaxel Lendeborg makes 23-foot three point jumper (Draymond Green assists)

4. 1st Quarter · 10:13

   Darius Acuff Jr. makes 24-foot three point jumper (Zach LaVine assists)

5. 1st Quarter · 9:16

   Ben Simmons makes 8-foot two point shot

6. 1st Quarter · 9:09

   Stephen Curry makes 29-foot three pointer

7. 1st Quarter · 8:29

   Brandin Podziemski makes free throw 2 of 2

8. 1st Quarter · 8:07

   Yaxel Lendeborg makes 5-foot two point shot

9. 1st Quarter · 8:07

   Yaxel Lendeborg makes free throw 1 of 1

10. 1st Quarter · 8:00

    Ben Simmons makes free throw 1 of 2

11. 1st Quarter · 8:00

    Ben Simmons makes free throw 2 of 2

12. 1st Quarter · 7:48

    Stephen Curry makes 5-foot layup (Draymond Green assists)

13. 1st Quarter · 7:26

    Darius Acuff Jr. makes 7-foot driving floating jump shot

14. 1st Quarter · 7:09

    Keegan Murray makes 5-foot running dunk (Darius Acuff Jr. assists)

15. 1st Quarter · 5:52

    Yaxel Lendeborg makes 5-foot hook shot

16. 1st Quarter · 5:33

    Stephen Curry makes 24-foot three point jumper (Yaxel Lendeborg assists)

17. 1st Quarter · 4:53

    Keegan Murray makes driving layup

18. 1st Quarter · 4:14

    Darius Acuff Jr. makes 24-foot three pointer

19. 1st Quarter · 4:14

    Darius Acuff Jr. makes free throw 1 of 1

20. 1st Quarter · 4:03

    Brandon Williams makes free throw 2 of 2

21. 1st Quarter · 3:43

    Ben Simmons makes 12-foot step back jumpshot

22. 1st Quarter · 3:01

    Maxime Raynaud makes free throw 1 of 2

23. 1st Quarter · 3:01

    Maxime Raynaud makes free throw 2 of 2

24. 1st Quarter · 2:38

    Maxime Raynaud makes running layup (Ben Simmons assists)

25. 1st Quarter · 56.4

    Brandin Podziemski makes 5-foot layup (Al Horford assists)

26. 1st Quarter · 22.1

    Gui Santos makes free throw 1 of 2

27. 1st Quarter · 22.1

    Gui Santos makes free throw 2 of 2

28. 1st Quarter · 6.0

    Ben Simmons makes free throw 1 of 2

29. 2nd Quarter · 11:46

    Yaxel Lendeborg makes 5-foot layup (Draymond Green assists)

30. 2nd Quarter · 11:27

    De'Andre Hunter makes 5-foot driving dunk (Darius Acuff Jr. assists)

31. 2nd Quarter · 11:04

    Brandon Williams makes free throw 1 of 2

32. 2nd Quarter · 11:04

    Brandon Williams makes free throw 2 of 2

33. 2nd Quarter · 10:44

    Darius Acuff Jr. makes 24-foot three pointer

34. 2nd Quarter · 10:35

    Gui Santos makes two point shot (Brandon Williams assists)

35. 2nd Quarter · 10:01

    Brandon Williams makes running layup

36. 2nd Quarter · 9:13

    Yaxel Lendeborg makes 4-foot running dunk (Brandin Podziemski assists)

37. 2nd Quarter · 8:53

    Darius Acuff Jr. makes free throw 1 of 2

38. 2nd Quarter · 8:53

    Darius Acuff Jr. makes free throw 2 of 2

39. 2nd Quarter · 8:32

    Gui Santos makes 8-foot two point shot

40. 2nd Quarter · 7:57

    Darius Acuff Jr. makes driving layup (De'Andre Hunter assists)

41. 2nd Quarter · 7:49

    Gui Santos makes layup (Yaxel Lendeborg assists)

42. 2nd Quarter · 7:40

    Precious Achiuwa makes driving layup (Darius Acuff Jr. assists)

43. 2nd Quarter · 7:27

    Brandon Williams makes driving layup

44. 2nd Quarter · 7:03

    Alex Karaban makes layup

45. 2nd Quarter · 6:54

    Gui Santos makes 4-foot layup (Yaxel Lendeborg assists)

46. 2nd Quarter · 6:54

    Gui Santos makes free throw 1 of 1

47. 2nd Quarter · 6:31

    Gui Santos makes driving layup (Brandin Podziemski assists)

48. 2nd Quarter · 6:22

    Tristen Newton makes 11-foot two point shot

49. 2nd Quarter · 6:22

    Tristen Newton makes free throw 1 of 1

50. 2nd Quarter · 6:13

    Georges Niang makes 26-foot three point jumper (Stephen Curry assists)

51. 2nd Quarter · 5:34

    Jonathan Mogbo makes running layup (Maxime Raynaud assists)

52. 2nd Quarter · 5:08

    Maxime Raynaud makes 26-foot three point jumper (Daeqwon Plowden assists)

53. 2nd Quarter · 4:40

    Zach LaVine makes 14-foot turnaround jump shot

54. 2nd Quarter · 4:00

    Maxime Raynaud makes free throw 2 of 2

55. 2nd Quarter · 3:25

    Maxime Raynaud makes 12-foot floating jump shot (Darius Acuff Jr. assists)

56. 2nd Quarter · 3:11

    Al Horford makes free throw 1 of 2

57. 2nd Quarter · 3:11

    Al Horford makes free throw 2 of 2

58. 2nd Quarter · 3:01

    Zach LaVine makes 25-foot three pointer (Darius Acuff Jr. assists)

59. 2nd Quarter · 2:48

    Georges Niang makes free throw 1 of 2

60. 2nd Quarter · 2:48

    Georges Niang makes free throw 2 of 2

61. 2nd Quarter · 2:21

    Yaxel Lendeborg makes driving layup (Stephen Curry assists)

62. 2nd Quarter · 2:00

    Precious Achiuwa makes tip shot

63. 2nd Quarter · 1:52

    Draymond Green makes driving layup (Brandin Podziemski assists)

64. 2nd Quarter · 1:52

    Draymond Green makes free throw 1 of 1

65. 2nd Quarter · 1:08

    Yaxel Lendeborg makes running layup (Al Horford assists)

66. 2nd Quarter · 24.2

    Yaxel Lendeborg makes 6-foot driving floating jump shot

67. 3rd Quarter · 10:48

    Darius Acuff Jr. makes 9-foot floating jump shot

68. 3rd Quarter · 10:23

    Yaxel Lendeborg makes driving layup

69. 3rd Quarter · 10:23

    Yaxel Lendeborg makes free throw 1 of 1

70. 3rd Quarter · 10:14

    Precious Achiuwa makes 5-foot two point shot (Zach LaVine assists)

71. 3rd Quarter · 9:58

    Darius Acuff Jr. makes 8-foot two point shot

72. 3rd Quarter · 9:33

    Zach LaVine makes layup (Darius Acuff Jr. assists)

73. 3rd Quarter · 9:15

    Brandin Podziemski makes 25-foot three point jumper (Yaxel Lendeborg assists)

74. 3rd Quarter · 9:05

    Zach LaVine makes two point shot

75. 3rd Quarter · 8:55

    Gui Santos makes 7-foot driving floating jump shot (Brandin Podziemski assists)

76. 3rd Quarter · 8:20

    De'Andre Hunter makes 9-foot pullup jump shot (Darius Acuff Jr. assists)

77. 3rd Quarter · 7:55

    Precious Achiuwa makes free throw 1 of 2

78. 3rd Quarter · 7:55

    Precious Achiuwa makes free throw 2 of 2

79. 3rd Quarter · 7:42

    Brandin Podziemski makes 25-foot three pointer

80. 3rd Quarter · 7:17

    Brandin Podziemski makes 23-foot three point jumper (Yaxel Lendeborg assists)

81. 3rd Quarter · 6:04

    Darius Acuff Jr. makes 25-foot three point jumper (Jonathan Mogbo assists)

82. 3rd Quarter · 5:47

    Brandon Williams makes driving layup (Draymond Green assists)

83. 3rd Quarter · 4:59

    Leaky Black makes 26-foot three point jumper (Darius Acuff Jr. assists)

84. 3rd Quarter · 4:42

    Brandon Williams makes 25-foot three point jumper (Al Horford assists)

85. 3rd Quarter · 3:47

    Brandon Williams makes driving layup

86. 3rd Quarter · 3:33

    Zach LaVine makes 17-foot step back jumpshot (Precious Achiuwa assists)

87. 3rd Quarter · 3:01

    Will Richard makes free throw 1 of 2

88. 3rd Quarter · 3:01

    Will Richard makes free throw 2 of 2

89. 3rd Quarter · 2:50

    Darius Acuff Jr. makes free throw 1 of 2

90. 3rd Quarter · 2:50

    Darius Acuff Jr. makes free throw 2 of 2

91. 3rd Quarter · 2:18

    Al Horford makes tip shot

92. 3rd Quarter · 8.6

    Nique Clifford makes free throw 1 of 2

93. 3rd Quarter · 0.9

    Brandon Williams makes 26-foot running jump shot (Yaxel Lendeborg assists)

94. 4th Quarter · 11:45

    Jonathan Mogbo makes 5-foot layup (Nique Clifford assists)

95. 4th Quarter · 10:43

    Brandon Williams makes 12-foot pullup jump shot

96. 4th Quarter · 10:05

    Nique Clifford makes 13-foot pullup jump shot

97. 4th Quarter · 9:28

    Leaky Black makes 27-foot three point jumper (Nique Clifford assists)

98. 4th Quarter · 8:46

    Georges Niang makes 24-foot three point jumper (Gui Santos assists)

99. 4th Quarter · 8:23

    Emanuel Sharp makes 28-foot three pointer

100. 4th Quarter · 8:09

     Brandin Podziemski makes free throw 1 of 2

101. 4th Quarter · 8:09

     Brandin Podziemski makes free throw 2 of 2

102. 4th Quarter · 7:36

     Georges Niang makes 22-foot three point jumper (Charles Bassey assists)

103. 4th Quarter · 7:17

     Emanuel Sharp makes 14-foot step back jumpshot

104. 4th Quarter · 6:52

     Georges Niang makes 8-foot driving floating jump shot (De'Anthony Melton assists)

105. 4th Quarter · 4:42

     Charles Bassey makes 4-foot running dunk (Will Richard assists)

106. 4th Quarter · 4:34

     Leaky Black makes 25-foot three point jumper (Nique Clifford assists)

107. 4th Quarter · 4:04

     Jonathan Mogbo makes two point shot

108. 4th Quarter · 3:27

     Jonathan Mogbo makes two point shot

109. 4th Quarter · 3:27

     Jonathan Mogbo makes free throw 1 of 1

110. 4th Quarter · 3:04

     Charles Bassey makes free throw 1 of 2

111. 4th Quarter · 3:04

     Charles Bassey makes free throw 2 of 2

112. 4th Quarter · 2:45

     Emanuel Sharp makes 16-foot pullup jump shot (Alex Karaban assists)

113. 4th Quarter · 2:10

     Will Richard makes 23-foot running jump shot (Dalen Terry assists)

114. 4th Quarter · 1:14

     Jonathan Mogbo makes free throw 2 of 2

115. 4th Quarter · 37.6

     Jonathan Mogbo makes free throw 1 of 2

116. 4th Quarter · 37.6

     Jonathan Mogbo makes free throw 2 of 2

117. 4th Quarter · 14.5

     Will Richard makes free throw 1 of 2

118. 4th Quarter · 14.5

     Will Richard makes free throw 2 of 2

119. 4th Quarter · 6.6

     Charles Bassey makes free throw 2 of 2