Curry Barely Played. Lendeborg Scored 23—and That's the Real Warriors Story.

Golden State beat Sacramento 111–106 in preseason, and the five-point score wasn't the most important thing that happened at Chase Center. Yaxel Lendeborg put up 23 points, ten rebounds and six assists, including twenty points in the first half. Brandin Podziemski, fresh off a reported five-year, $110 million extension, scored fourteen. It would be easy to turn the evening into a simple argument about whether Podziemski is worth that deal. The actual basketball gave us a more useful question: what does Golden State look like when its younger players create offense instead of only reacting to Stephen Curry?

A first-half rookie takeover gave the Warriors something new

Curry played fourteen minutes and scored eight points, hitting two threes. He was not there to carry the entire evening, and the Warriors still produced enough to win. Lendeborg had a major role in that outcome, and the ways he scored were more interesting than the total. Steve Kerr and Draymond Green had been encouraging the rookie to attack. Against Sacramento he spent much of the opening half working near the rim, absorbing contact and taking the ball toward the defense rather than waiting for a bailout jumper.

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The veterans were creating better chances, not taking every shot

Golden State's official recap detailed how the veterans created his early chances. Curry set a back screen that freed Lendeborg for an easy basket, and a Curry-Green pick-and-roll led to a Green pass for an open Lendeborg three. Those are not spectacular solo highlights; they're examples of a rookie understanding where he belongs when two high-IQ veterans manipulate the defense. Kerr also noted afterward that Lendeborg had enough size and skill to become someone the team could play through. That's a much bigger claim than saying a rookie scored twenty-three in preseason.

He's huge, can handle the ball, and get to the rim.Steve Kerr, on Yaxel Lendeborg · Warriors official postgame recap

Sacramento pushed back in a real contest

The score itself was competitive. Sacramento led 25–24 after one, Golden State answered with a 37–31 second, and the Warriors added another twenty-eight in the third. The Kings won the fourth 25–22, but could not erase the deficit. Twelve lead changes and nine ties made the contest more revealing than a runaway exhibition. Golden State had to keep finding offense at different points, and the opposing young players were not merely spectators.

Darius Acuff Jr. scored 25 for the Kings and delivered eight assists. Ben Simmons made his Sacramento debut after time away from the league, scoring seven in eight minutes. Those details matter because the Warriors were testing new responsibilities against an opponent with its own reasons to compete. The Kings weren't a full-strength measuring stick for the regular season, but Acuff's creation and the extra possessions from the Sacramento bench gave Golden State something genuine to work against.

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Podziemski's $110 million question can't be answered in one night

Podziemski played a team-high twenty-six minutes and contributed fourteen points, seven rebounds and four assists. He hit three threes in the third quarter. That is useful secondary production, but a contract this large can't be defended or condemned by a twenty-six-minute sample in October. His career-high 13.8 points per game the previous season are part of the evaluation. So are durability, decision-making, rebounding, defensive assignments and whether he can handle a bigger role when Curry's gravity isn't setting up every touch.

The Warriors got fifteen points and six rebounds from Gui Santos, who made all five of his second-quarter shots. Brandon Williams scored nineteen on 7-for-8 shooting, and Georges Niang added thirteen. Those numbers show a roster where the supporting cast had actual offensive agency. A championship conversation requires this kind of depth rather than relying on a famous point guard to make everybody else look functional.

6IX TAKE — this is about who can create when Curry sits

6IX TAKE — I've already said I'm skeptical about paying Podziemski $110 million based on what we've seen so far, and I am not switching sides because Golden State beat Sacramento in preseason. But I also think fans are asking the wrong question when they turn every exhibition possession into a trial about one player's contract. The encouraging part was Lendeborg going after the game: twenty-three points, ten boards, six assists and a first half where he consistently attacked the paint. You can actually see how Green and Curry help create those chances, and you can imagine what it would mean if the rookie keeps making defenders respect him. Podziemski's fourteen points and seven rebounds were fine. The real question is whether he becomes a decision-maker who makes the entire lineup better when Steph sits. That's what you're paying for at this price, not a nice October box score. Golden State should keep giving its young guys meaningful reps, because the next version of this team can't just be an elaborate plan to keep Curry young forever.

The test that matters after preseason

Golden State got a win, but the more valuable result was a set of lineup combinations worth studying. The Warriors need to evaluate how Lendeborg's confidence translates against stronger rotations and whether Podziemski's expanded role actually creates easier shots for everyone else. Sacramento should be watching Acuff's playmaking and Simmons' fit. The final five-point difference tells only a small part of that story.