Despite the 127-105 scoreline, the Los Angeles Lakers won an intense matchup against the Golden State Warriors. Luka Doncic and Yaxel Lendeborg repeatedly exchanged words. The rookie even received a technical foul during the game. Afterward, he made it clear that he had no intention of backing down from the reigning scoring champion.
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ESPN’s defensive tracking numbers appeared to support that claim, but Gilbert Arenas isn’t buying the hype. The former NBA star offered a different explanation for why Doncic struggled against the rookie in certain possessions.
“All delusional,” Arenas said on Gil’s Arena podcast. “I wish this was old NBA where the other team, the Golden State Warriors would say ‘Hey, you, you by yourself.’ I’ve seen with the video. I’ll show you a man who’s getting his a– about to be cooked until the defensive player of the year keeps helping. Draymond Green played great defense on. You’re not stopping nobody one-on-one. The reason Luka wasn’t getting fully to the basket is because Draymond Green is helping. Draymond Green is stopping Luka.”
Arenas’ argument centered on the difference between defending a player individually and receiving help from a teammate. Even if Yaxel Lendeborg stayed in front of Doncic, Green’s presence could limit the Lakers star’s options and prevent him from attacking the rim freely. To reinforce his point, Arenas brought up another familiar Lakers example involving Derek Fisher and Shaquille O’Neal.
“I’m not trying to jump while he’s in there. So, you look like you’re very good at defense because you have Shaq back there.”
ESPN’s numbers gave Yaxel Lendeborg a reason to celebrate. Doncic scored 23 points in the first half, but when the Warriors rookie served as his primary defender in half-court situations, the Lakers star went 0-for-4 from the field and scored just two points, according to ESPN’s tracking data. Arenas was far less impressed with that conclusion.
Yaxel Lendeborg, meanwhile, made it clear that he enjoyed the challenge. The rookie went directly at Doncic during the game and continued the verbal exchange afterward, explaining just how little he was intimidated by the Lakers star.
“I was telling him, he sucks. He can’t score on me. ‘You talking, you can’t score on me.’ I said it the whole game; I had a lot of respect for him, you know, just cuz just watching. I didn’t really watch the NBA much, I just watched highlights. Seeing him, you know, kill people all the time. But then being in there firsthand and just watching all the whining and complaining, I lost all respect, man. Like that was awful.”
One sequence illustrated the competitive edge between the two players. Yaxel Lendeborg picked up Doncic full court and maintained his pressure without allowing the Lakers star to push him aside easily. Doncic eventually took the rookie into an isolation possession and tried to create separation. When he couldn’t shake Lendeborg, he resorted to his signature pump fake, drawing a foul in the process. The exchange was entertaining, but the final numbers put the matchup in perspective.
Doncic finished with 28 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. The reigning scoring champion, who placed fourth in MVP voting, still delivered a productive night despite the rookie’s resistance.
Yaxel Lendeborg also made a solid impression in his debut, recording 12 points on 5-of-11 shooting, three rebounds and two assists in just under 29 minutes. Warriors coach Steve Kerr appreciated the rookie’s competitive attitude. “I love the back-and-forth,” Kerr said. “I mean, Yaxel’s a competitor.”
Stephen Curry was equally enthusiastic, although he offered a reminder that Yaxel Lendeborg would need to sustain that confidence. “I love it,” Curry said. “I love everything about it. Now, he’s just gotta back it up.”
The Lakers won the game behind Doncic’s 28 points, Austin Reaves’ 23 and Walker Kessler’s 26 on a perfect 12-of-12 shooting. Lendeborg’s defensive showing and his exchanges with Doncic nevertheless became a major talking point.
Arenas may not believe the rookie stopped Doncic, but Yaxel Lendeborg has already shown that he isn’t afraid of the challenge. The two teams meet again next Friday, giving the Warriors rookie another opportunity to test himself against the Lakers superstar.