The Los Angeles Lakers got off to a hot start to the 2026-27 NBA season with a dominant performance against Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors.
Although the win over the visiting Warriors was impressive, it didn’t come without some on-court and now off-court drama, with Luka Doncic and rookie Yaxel Lendeborg going at it during the season opener with some words being shared.
Yaxel Lendeborg Blasts Luka Doncic for On-Court Behavior
Following the loss to the Lakers, Lendeborg spoke to the media during his postgame press conference and had some choice words for the reigning scoring champion, as he claims he “lost all respect” for the superstar guard.
“I had a lot of respect for him. … Seeing him kill people all the time,” Lendeborg said of Doncic. “But then being in there firsthand, just watching all the whining and complaining, I lost all respect, man. That was awful.”
Now, Doncic has been heavily criticized over the years for complaining too much during games, which has resulted in the talented scorer being assessed technical fouls on multiple occasions.
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) October 22, 2026
In fact, Doncic’s badgering of the referees got so bad last season that he racked up 16 technicals triggering a one-game suspension.
Luka Doncic: Yaxel Lendeborg Was ‘Talking Crazy’
The veteran guard has acknowledged he needs to tone it down, even though Lendeborg was “talking crazy” because it is a problem that he wants to change.
“He was talking crazy,” Doncic said of Lendeborg. “I wasn't trying to talk back this season. I'm trying to get text. So the first time that was not a double tap because I didn't say nothing. So I'm working on it.”
Clearly, the rookie didn’t bother him that much, especially considering Doncic finished with a game-high 28 points in only 30 minutes on the floor. The Lakers went on to beat the Warriors by 22 points, but led by as much as 35 points.
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) October 22, 2026
Lendeborg went into a little detail about his back-and-forth with the Lakers superstar and didn’t hold back.
“I was telling him, he sucks,” Lendeborg said. “He can't score on me. You talk, and you can't score on me. I said it the whole game. I said a couple of cuss words, obviously. That's why I got the technical and all that.”
The Warriors rookie and Doncic might have a budding rivalry, which everyone will get another look at during the second regular-season meeting between these two teams on Oct. 30 at the Chase Center.
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