Golden State Warriors rookie forward Yaxel Lendeborg wasted no time diving into the deep end of Pacific Division rivalries. After a season-opening loss against the Los Angeles Lakers, the Michigan product didn’t mince words when calling out star guard Luka Doncic’s propensity to complain to referees, saying he “lost all respect” for him.
“I didn’t really watch the NBA much, I just watched highlights,” Lendeborg said in his first regular season NBA postgame presser. “But then being in there firsthand and watching all the whining and complaining, I lost all respect, man.”
Let's see if he brings that same fire against the Phoenix Suns.
Lendeborg’s Doncic comments set up intriguing matchup with fiery Suns
Lendeborg went on to say it’s not about any one player being frustrated with an individual foul call, but rather Doncic complaining “the entire game.”
The rookie doesn’t get a reprieve from divisional rivals, as the Warriors are set to face the Suns in their next game Saturday, Oct. 24. That will include matching up against Dillon "The Villain" Brooks, one of the league’s most notorious trash talkers, who Doncic himself praised not only for his ability to talk smack but his overall game as well.
That could further make for a rude entry into Lendeborg’s NBA career going up against Brooks and Co. after Phoenix got embarrassed in their own season opener—a 41-point loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. Phoenix will no doubt look to flip the script from the season-opening disasterclass.
The Warriors were knocked out of the Play-In Tournament by Phoenix months ago, and the lottery pick Lendeborg is one of the few additions to their latest roster. Like the Suns, Golden State will be shorthanded without Jimmy Butler and Kristaps Porzingis who remain sidelined.
The Suns, at the time of writing, are waiting to see how severe Oso Ighodaro's hip injury is going to be after he played just 15 minutes in the opener before heading to the locker room and not returning to action.
Who is favored in the Suns vs. Warriors matchup?
Despite a truly disastrous season opener against Portland, the Suns are a 64.3 percent favorite to get the win over Golden State on Saturday, according to ESPN analytics.
Unlike the Blazers, the Warriors don't have a hulking 7-foot-2 center like Donovan Clingan to create matchup problems for an undersized Suns team. The Warriors are likewise among the smaller teams in the NBA, so the Suns should have an easier time matching up with Golden State and their outspoken rookie forward.
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