Golden State Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg confirmed he is looking forward to facing Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic again after their heated exchange during the season opener, answering “Absolutely” when asked about the rematch ahead of Friday’s game.
“Absolutely. Yes, I am. I’ll talk about that on Friday,” Lendeborg said.
The Warriors visit the Lakers on Friday, October 30, after Lendeborg scored 26 points and grabbed nine rebounds in Wednesday’s 119-114 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. The rookie has scored at least 18 points in each of his first five NBA games.
Lendeborg’s first meeting with Doncic came on October 21, when the Lakers beat Golden State 127-105. Doncic finished with 28 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, while Lendeborg recorded 12 points in 29 minutes and received a technical foul during their confrontation.
After that game, Lendeborg openly criticized Doncic’s complaints to officials and said the experience had changed his view of the Lakers star.
“I had a lot of respect for him,” Lendeborg said after the opener. “But then being in there firsthand and just watching all the whining and complaining, I lost all respect, man.”
Lendeborg has backed up his confidence with strong early production. He scored 31 points and grabbed 12 rebounds against the Denver Nuggets on October 26, then added 26 points against Minnesota two days later. Through five games, he is averaging 22.6 points and 9.2 rebounds while shooting 48.8% from the field.
Doncic, meanwhile, scored 52 points against Utah on October 25 and followed with 41 against Portland on October 27. He averaged 36 points across his first four games before sitting out Wednesday’s win over the Clippers with back tightness.
The Lakers and Warriors meet at Chase Center on Friday, October 30, at 10 p.m. ET in their NBA Cup group-play opener.
