Lakers’ Luka Doncic nails halfcourt shot then taunts Yaxel Lendeborg in wild ending to half appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Luka Doncic is claiming the leadership mantle now for the Los Angeles Lakers. That now means getting on the bad side of rivals like the Golden State Warriors too. Doncic did just that right in front of GSW newcomer Yaxel Lendeborg.
Doncic pulled off the wild sequence to end the first half. He heaved the basketball at halfcourt before the second quarter buzzer sounded off. And he capped things off by talking back to the rookie from national champion Michigan.
Luka Doncic BANKS IN THE HALFCOURT SHOT TO END THE FIRST HALF 😤 pic.twitter.com/nlUQHJbCYP
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) October 22, 2026
Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (free trial)
Turns out both Doncic and the rookie went after each other from the start. Both drew contact early and started jawing at one another.
Doncic assumes the lead Laker role post LeBron James, who signed with the Philadelphia 76ers as a free agent. Coach JJ Redick himself has started to cater to Doncic as the man who’ll make the Lakers’ system go.
The perennial NBA All-Star answered the bell with dropping 23 points in 18 minutes before halftime. His Lakers jumped to a 66-52 lead inside Crypto Arena.
So Doncic showcased his willingness to carry the scoring load for the purple and gold. But then he pulled a move that would’ve made Lakers legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson proud during the third quarter. Doncic executed this behind-the-back pass that ended with a slam dunk.
Absolutely ludicrous pass from Luka Doncic pic.twitter.com/WjPvomFLqH
— Hot Hand Theory (@HotHandTheory) October 22, 2026
The Lakers are trying to ignite a new era post James, who delivered one NBA Finals title with the franchise in the truncated 2020 season. Last year’s Lakers went 53-29 overall during James’ final season. Now Doncic is aiming to become the most popular and dominant Laker.
Related: Walker Kessler joins 1969 Wilt Chamberlain with perfect Lakers debut vs. Warriors
Related: Lakers’ Walker Kessler pulls off wild feat last done by Shaq with 1-man dunkfest