Warriors rookie Lendeborg says he 'lost all respect' for Luka after testy matchup
Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg said he 'lost all respect' for Lakers star Luka Doncic after a testy opening-night matchup in Los Angeles, criticizing the way Doncic begs for foul calls.
Golden State Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg did not hold back after his professional debut on Tuesday night, saying he had 'lost all respect' for Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic in the wake of a 127-105 opening-night loss in Los Angeles.
With Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody injured, the Warriors started Lendeborg on the wing and asked him to guard Doncic for much of the night. The rookie made an early impression, holding Doncic to 1-of-6 shooting as the primary defender, according to ESPN tracking stats. The mood soured late in the second quarter, though, when Doncic pump-faked Lendeborg into a shooting foul near the top of the key and let him know about it after the whistle. An exchange of words followed, and Doncic closed the half with a 48-foot half-court shot as time expired.
'I had a lot of respect for him [because] I didn't really watch the NBA much,' Lendeborg said afterward. '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.'
Doncic said Lendeborg 'was talking crazy' but insisted he was not looking to engage. Warriors coach Steve Kerr questioned the technical foul handed out during the dustup, while veteran Draymond Green said he had no problem with the rookie going after a star. Lendeborg finished with 12 points in 29 minutes, becoming the first Warriors rookie to start on opening night since James Wiseman in 2020. The teams meet again on Oct. 30 in San Francisco.
Source: ESPN — Top Headlines — TrendWire reports stories in its own words; facts should be confirmed against the original source.