Luka Doncic opened the post-LeBron James era for the Los Angeles Lakers with 28 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists in a 127-105 victory over the Golden State Warriors at Crypto.com Arena, punctuated by a heated verbal altercation with Yaxel Lendeborg.
Doncic Shines in Lakers Win After Injury Layoff
Playing his first official game for the Lakers since suffering a hamstring strain on April 2 that sidelined him, Doncic commanded the floor before sitting out the entire fourth quarter. Lakers head coach J.J. Redick rested the Slovenian guard with the game in hand after a shooting performance that included 7 of 18 from the field and 5 of 12 from beyond the arc. The night also showcased an early connection with center Walker Kessler, acquired over the summer from the Utah Jazz.
Lendeborg Triggers First-Half Verbal Duel
The game turned fiery just before halftime when Golden State head coach Steve Kerr assigned Lendeborg, the 11th overall pick in the NBA draft, to defend Doncic. Physical body-to-body coverage drew repeated complaints from the Lakers star, sparking a series of verbal exchanges that resulted in a technical foul assessed to Lendeborg. Frustrated by the contact, Doncic answered by launching a buzzer-beating triple from half court and directing the celebration toward the rookie.
"I think everybody had fun." 😂-Luka Doncic after the Lakers' big win vs. the Warriors. pic.twitter.com/dMNY3nPB32
Lendeborg offered a different perspective on the matchup, stating, “Le estaba diciendo que es un paquete, que no puede meterme una canasta. Es lo que le he dicho durante todo el partido.”
Quiet NBA Debuts for Spanish Players De Larrea and Miller
Away from the Los Angeles spotlight, two Spanish players made their league debuts during the opening days of the season. Sergio de Larrea logged seven minutes for the Dallas Mavericks in a 128-110 loss to the Houston Rockets, finishing scoreless with two rebounds and one assist. His limited playing time coincided with the return of Kyrie Irving, who started and contributed 15 points, four rebounds, and two assists in his first action following a 597-day injury absence. Meanwhile, Baba Miller logged just over nine minutes for the Los Angeles Clippers in a 96-121 win against the Sacramento Kings, tallying four points and three rebounds, highlighted by a late dunk after the outcome had been decided.
Upcoming Matchups
The Lakers return to the floor to continue their early-season schedule, while the Warriors look to rebound from their opening loss as the regular-season calendar unfolds across the league.
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