Yaxel Lendeborg is a rookie, but he’s trash-talking like a salty veteran. The Golden State Warriors forward didn’t mince words when discussing the season-opening matchup against Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday.
“I was telling him he sucks,” Lendeborg said after the 127-105 loss. “He can’t score on me.”
Doncic posted 28 points in the opener, finishing 7-18 from the field in the win and sitting out the fourth quarter. The six-time All-Star wasn’t impressed.
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“He was talking crazy, but I wasn’t trying to talk back this season,” Doncic said. “Not trying to get techs. For the first time, that was not a double tech, because I didn’t say nothing, so I’m working on it. As you see, I think it worked great.”
Lendeborg described Doncic, who converted all nine of his free throws, as a foul merchant.
“I lost all respect, man,” Lendeborg said. “That was awful. … A lot of flopping, a lot of foul-baiting, a lot of praying to the ref, man. Interesting first game for me, for sure.”
The Michigan product insisted that Doncic’s only make against him came in the final seconds of the first half. The Lakers star drained a three-pointer from half court just before the buzzer sounded.
“I took my matchup personally. Tried not to get called on the fouls. Tried my best,” Lendeborg said. “I was thinking about playing him with my hands behind my back to see if that worked. Probably would have still got a foul call. But interesting.”
The rookie’s talkative stance ruffled some feathers among fans. But Warriors veteran Draymond Green, one of the most outspoken players in the league, flocked to his defense.
“Everybody’s going to be like, ’Aw, man. He shouldn’t talk to Luka; you should not talk to Luka,’ and I disagree with that,” Green told reporters after the game. “You’re going to talk to somebody; you talk until you can’t talk no more.”
Lendeborg and Doncic will likely see each other again soon. The Warriors and Lakers square off again on Oct. 30.
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