Kerr Critiques Rookie's Boastful Defense After Opening Night Loss

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr did not mince words regarding rookie Yaxel Lendeborg's post-game remarks following the team's opening night loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. While Kerr acknowledged Lendeborg's individual defensive effort on Lakers star Luka Doncic, he dismissed the rookie's boasts as irrelevant given the team's overall defensive struggles.

Doncic scored 28 points in the Lakers' decisive victory, a performance that overshadowed Lendeborg's assertion that he had "lost all respect" for the superstar due to his interactions with referees. Lendeborg had also highlighted his individual matchups with Doncic, claiming he held him to 1-of-5 shooting in their head-to-head possessions.

Kerr, however, focused on the team's defensive failures, stating, "Who the eff cares? He did a good job on Luka 1-on-1, but we got torched by Luka as a team. I don’t care. ... It’s like, they scored 120 on us. That stuff’s all bulls–t. It’s our defense. He knows that. I talked to him the other day. Our defense was not good regardless of him individually when he guarded the ball."

Lendeborg finished his NBA debut with 12 points, four personal fouls, and a technical foul in 29 minutes. He is set to face another significant individual matchup on Friday in the Warriors' home opener against the Memphis Grizzlies, where he will go head-to-head with No. 3 overall pick Cameron Boozer.

Beyond the trash talk, Kerr also offered constructive criticism for Lendeborg's overall game. "He’s a little bit of a coaster," Kerr observed. "I want to see him run the floor harder. I think that will open up a lot of opportunities. He’s so skilled and big that if we get him to run the court — both ways — a little harder, a little faster, he’s going to end up finding the ball more and be more of a threat."

Kerr echoed sentiments expressed by Stephen Curry, emphasizing that Lendeborg needs to back up his words with consistent on-court performance. The Warriors will have another opportunity to face Doncic and the Lakers next Friday, a rematch Kerr noted as a chance for Lendeborg to prove himself. "Like I said, I didn’t mind the stuff the other day. But as Steph said, you’ve got to back it up. That’s the thing. We play the Lakers again next week, so, OK, here you go."