Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr praised his team’s depth, Yaxel Lendeborg’s potential and Draymond Green’s defense after a 134-114 win over the Denver Nuggets on Monday night.
The Warriors earned their first victory of the season after starting 0-3, with Lendeborg recording 31 points and 12 rebounds in his fourth NBA game. Kerr credited several contributors for the road win, including Georges Niang and Al Horford, while highlighting the impact of Brandin Podziemski, who finished with 18 points and a plus-33 rating.
“I like our roster. We’re pretty deep,” Kerr said. “We’ve got some vets who can really play. Georges is really good basketball player. He makes the right play over and over again, knocked down some threes tonight. And Al was terrific, picking pop, opening up the floor with his three-point shot.”
Kerr also praised the combination of Podziemski and Lendeborg, who helped Golden State build separation in the second half. “Brandin really knows how to play. He knows how to get people the ball,” Kerr said. “When you have both on the floor, there’s just a lot that can happen in order to attack the defense. I thought both guys were terrific tonight.”
Lendeborg’s performance was particularly encouraging for Kerr, who acknowledged that the rookie still has plenty to learn despite taking over the game. The Michigan product went 9-for-19 from the field and made 12 of 13 free throws.
“He just dominated the game and took over at 24 in his fourth game, as you said. So pretty impressive,” Kerr said. “We’re going to keep coaching him and keep trying to get him to learn the NBA game and make the most of that enormous potential he’s got.”
Kerr also explained the decision to start Gui Santos instead of Graham Ike against Nikola Jokic. Golden State opted for a smaller lineup with more playmakers and floor spacing rather than adding size against Denver’s center.
Defensively, Kerr credited Green with battling Jokic throughout the game. “You’re never going to stop him,” Kerr said of the Denver star. “But I think we took away the back cuts. I don’t know that they got a single back-cut layup, and after the first quarter, we did a really good job in transition.”
Green’s playmaking remains central to Golden State’s offense, but Kerr said the team is adjusting his starting position to open up additional options. He also pointed to Yaxel’s ability to create shots and draw fouls as an important addition.
“It was obviously tough to start 0-3, but long season, and we feel like we’ve got a good team and we can win a lot of games,” Kerr said.
The Warriors will visit the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night.
