Yaxel Lendeborg, Luka Doncic get into heated trash talk during Lakers vs. Warrier: Watch what the players said about each other after the game

During the season opener between the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors, Yaxel Lendeborg and Luka Doncic made multiple comments to each other, with videos of the scuffle trending on social media. The trash talk, which lasted most of the second quarter led to Yaxel eventually being handed a technical foul, a career first.

The Lakers took the win over the Warriors with 127-105 with Luka’s first half-court shot in the season. The trash talk even continued while Yaxel was subbed out of the game. Luka went out of his way in the second half to talk at Yaxel while he was on the bench.

The tension however, had started physically while Yaxel was guarding Luka. The Lakers star then drew a foul on a pump fake and both players began to throw words at each other. Luka later found Yaxel after his half court and the two yet again gave each other an ear full. At one point while Yaxal was benched, Luka pointed at him asking him to come back out to the game, Yaxel was subbed immediately back in.


‘Lost all respect…’ Yaxel tore into Luka post game

Following the game Yaxel responded to his altercation with Luka. He said, “A lot of flopping, a lot of foul-baiting and a lot of crying to the refs,” adding that it was an interesting first game for him. Yaxel further said, “I had a lot of respect for him…I saw highlights of him killing people all the time. But being there firsthand, watching all the whining and complaining, I lost all respect.”

Yaxel said his frustration with Luka did not stem from the foul call, but from his complaining the entire game. “You got the foul call, congratulations, but then you talk to me like you did something great? Come on man, that is…weak,” Yaxel said, further reiterating that his respect for Luka was “Gone”.

Explaining his scuffle with Luka to the press, Yaxel said, “I told him he sucks”. He added that he said a “couple of cuss words” and that got him the technical foul. “He was laughing and talking because of that one foul call,” Yaxel said. He dismissed Luka’s half court shot with, “His only bucket was a baker from half-court. He had 28 on us as a team…I was thinking of playing him with my hands tied behind my back, but probably still would have got a foul.”

Yaxel, who had his debut for the Warriors, got a decent performance in the game, He scored 12 points and three rebounds and played a strong defence, even though his team ultimately lost.

‘He was talking crazy…’ Luka on his trash talk with the rookie

Talking to ESPN after the game Luka Doncic said Yaxel had been “talking crazy” during the game. He further admitted that the constant trash talk brought out a different side of him.

“I think everybody knows when somebody starts talking, you get a different me. So that was it,” Luka said to ESPN after the game.

He ended the game with 28 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. He was held up by Yaxel 0-4 in all their individual matchups until the half-court shot.