Warrior rookie Yaxel Lendeborg clashes with Luka Dončić in opening-night loss
Golden State rookie Yaxel Lendeborg defended Luka Dončić in his debut, sparking a heated exchange that led to a technical foul during the Warriors' 127-105 defeat to the Lakers.
Golden State rookie Yaxel Lendeborg said his first NBA game was “interesting” after a contentious matchup with Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Dončić, which ended with Lendeborg receiving a technical foul. The Warriors fell 127-105 to the Lakers on opening night.
Lendeborg, who started on the wing in place of the injured Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody, was tasked with guarding Dončić for much of the game. He limited the Slovenian to 1-of-6 shooting, but the Lakers built a large lead, scoring 32, 34 and 36 points in the first three quarters.
Tensions rose in the second quarter after Dončić drew a shooting foul on Lendeborg and then complained to the officials. Lendeborg later said the repeated complaints “threw me off” and that he felt the interaction was “weak.” The exchange continued, and with 31 seconds left in the half, Lendeborg was assessed a technical foul for using profanity toward Dončić.
"I was telling him he sucks," Lendeborg said, acknowledging the language that led to the technical.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr defended Lendeborg, calling the technical “ridiculous” and noting that both players were “jawing at each other.” Dončić responded with a 48-foot half-court shot at the end of the half and pointed at Lendeborg, further intensifying the rivalry.
Lendeborg finished with 12 points in 29 minutes, becoming the first rookie since James Wiseman in 2020 to start for the Warriors on opening night. Draymond Green said he had no issue with Lendeborg confronting Dončić, emphasizing that the league values competitiveness.
The two teams are scheduled to meet again on Oct. 30 in San Francisco.