Lakers' Doncic Clashes With Warriors Rookie Lendeborg: 'Talking Crazy'

Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic engaged in a verbal back-and-forth with Golden State Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg during Wednesday night's season-opening game, which the Lakers won decisively. The exchange escalated late in the second quarter.

Doncic stated that Lendeborg was "talking crazy." The confrontation began after Doncic drew a shooting foul against the Warriors' No. 11 draft pick. Doncic was seen laughing as Lendeborg expressed frustration with the call.

Even after Lendeborg was substituted out of the game, Doncic continued to exchange words with the rookie from the sideline. The chirping continued while Warriors player Sandro Mamukelashvili was at the free-throw line. Lendeborg received a technical foul with 22 seconds remaining in the first half, seemingly as a result of the ongoing verbal exchange with Doncic.

The pre-halftime exchange culminated when Doncic made a buzzer-beating halfcourt shot, extending the Lakers' lead to 66-52.

Lakers guard Austin Reaves commented on the situation, humorously noting that he couldn't understand Doncic's trash talk because he wasn't speaking English. Reaves suggested that people should pay to talk to Doncic to motivate him further.

Notably, Doncic managed the encounter without receiving a technical foul, a contrast to the 16 technical fouls he was assessed last season. "I wasn’t trying to talk back this season. I’m trying to not get techs," Doncic said. "So it was the first time that [it] was not a double tech, because I didn’t say nothing. So I’m working on it. But as you see, it worked great."