The noteworthy NBA opening night on Wednesday saw the Luka Doncic vs Yaxel Lendeborg drama taking center stage. Doncic and Lendeborg exchanged trash talk during the Los Angeles Lakers‘ dominant victory over the Golden State Warriors. Both players made it more personal when asked about the other after the game. Yaxel took it further by saying he lost all the respect he had for Luka after seeing how he conducted himself in person.
ESPN pundit Stephen A Smith chimed in and supported Lendeborg’s claims:
“I do agree with him going after Luka the way that he did, competing the way that he competed, talking his talk and what have you. This kid is not a scrub. He’s a talented brother. And by the way, he’s a reigning, defending national champion on a collegiate level. He came into this league as a champion in his own right, albeit collegiately.
Here’s why I’m also supportive of what Yaxel Lendeborg is saying. He’s saying, if you’re so great, stop whining to the officials. Just go out there, and if you’re going to bust my ass, bust my ass. But stop whining to the officials, looking to them for help.”
Smith claimed that Yaxel is right about Luka whining to referees to get favorable calls. Doncic has a reputation for talking to officials too much and even getting technical fouls commonly due to this. Draymond Green and Stephen Curry backed up Lendeborg after the game for standing his ground against a superstar.
What Yaxel Lendeborg Said About Luka Doncic
The Lakers scoring a blowout victory over the Warriors saw Luka enjoying the lead and reminding Yaxel about it all night long. Doncic was either scoring or setting up teammates like Walker Kessler to get easy baskets all night.
Lendeborg had the following to say about why he lost respect for Luka:
“I had a lot of respect for him [because] I didn’t really watch the NBA much. I just watched highlights and seen him kill people. But being in it firsthand and seeing all the whining and complaining, I lost all respect.”
One surprising comment saw Yaxel saying he didn’t watch many NBA games before entering the league. However, he claims that Luka’s antics of complaining on behalf of the Lakers sickened him.
Yaxel Lendeborg Has Pressure Early In Season
Any rookie having a high profile situation talking trash with Doncic is going to get more pressure on them in the early season. Factor in the Warriors coverage and the team trying to stay afloat until Jimmy Butler returns from injury to see why Yaxel has immense pressure.
Fans and media will be focusing on his next few performances and how he plays with expectations. The next Lakers vs Warriors game will hold more drama between these two unless coaches Steve Kerr and JJ Redick stop the trash talking ahead of time.
Regardless, Lendeborg enjoys the spotlight and putting himself in the news. Opening night saw that starting early with strong interest surrounding his play. Yaxel must thrive until Golden State gets back Butler, Moses Moody, and hopefully Kristaps Porzingis later this season.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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