There are a handful of players in the NBA that most veterans know not to trash-talk. Luka Dončić falls into that bucket. When someone can drop 30 on you in their sleep, the last thing you need is to light a fire under them during a game.
Of course, Yaxel Lendeborg is no veteran. The Warriors' rookie made his NBA debut on Wednesday, and he spent a good chunk of it guarding Dončić, one of the best players in the NBA. To his credit, he held up reasonably well.
Dončić shot just 7-of-18 from the floor thanks in large part to Lendeborg's defense. But the two jawed at one another quite a bit, especially at the end of the second quarter, when Lendeborg picked up a technical foul. Moments later, Dončić hit a half-court buzzer-beater and pointed directly at the rookie.
LUKA MAGIC ✨Beyond half-court at the buzzer to extend the Lakers' lead against the Warriors 🍿 pic.twitter.com/RiPZVHk7gg Dončić, who scored a game-high 28 points, ultimately won the war. Once Stephen Curry cooled off after a blistering first quarter, the Los Angeles Lakers destroyed the Golden State Warriors, 127-105. Yet Lendeborg left the game thoroughly unimpressed with the MVP candidate he covered.
In fact, he said he "lost all respect" for Dončić in the defeat. "Being in there first hand, just watching all the whining and complaining, I lost all respect, man," Lendeborg said. Like, me getting frustrated, it's not about like, the foul getting called.
It's about him complaining the entire game. Then you get the foul call, congratulations bro, and then you talk to me like you did something great, bro? That shit weak." When asked what exactly he said to Dončić, Lendeborg did not mince words.
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