The Lakers got the first round of their Luka Doncic-Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg dustup, and now the next one is already drawing a lot of attention.
Los Angeles opened the season by handling a depleted Warriors team, rolling to a 127-105 win. The Lakers were in control for most of the night, even if the first half was more interesting for the back-and-forth between Doncic and Lendeborg than for the basketball itself. The two kept jawing throughout much of the opening half, and Doncic had the final word.
That wasn’t the end of it, either. The Lakers and Warriors still have three more meetings left in the regular season, and the next one comes quickly, on Oct. 30, the day before Halloween. This time, Los Angeles travels to the Bay Area.
That rematch is already getting some spicy predictions. Naji Marshall, Doncic’s former teammate and now a Mavericks forward, said the six-time All-NBA guard will hang 80 points on Lendeborg.
Lendeborg, for his part, has already made himself a target after one NBA game. Following the opener, he said that he “lost all respect” for Doncic.
On the court, Lendeborg did make life difficult for him at times. With Lendeborg as the primary defender, Doncic went 1-for-6 shooting. But Doncic still finished with 28 points on 7-of-18 shooting, plus 8 rebounds, 7 assists and three steals in 30 minutes, and that production was enough to lead the Lakers and secure the win.
The chatter around the matchup has only grown since then. Former NBA champion Brendan Haywood also weighed in, saying Lendeborg had effectively stirred up the wrong guy.
Their next meeting in the Bay Area will also be the Lakers’ second NBA Cup game, adding another layer to a matchup that is already being watched closely. Whether Doncic gets to 80 or not, nobody seems likely to be shocked if he puts on a show.
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