Lakers' Luka Dončić opens season with 28 points, Warriors rookie feud
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The gist
Lakers guard Luka Dončić scored 28 points in a 127-105 season-opening win over the Warriors.
The post-LeBron Lakers now run through him, and a rookie feud adds edge.
Background
Luka Dončić is a Slovenian guard for the Los Angeles Lakers, described as the reigning NBA scoring champion and a six-time All-Star. He is now the centerpiece in Los Angeles after LeBron James left for the Philadelphia 76ers, and the Lakers opened their season against the Golden State Warriors, part of a historic California rivalry. Dončić has a long history of trash-talking opponents over his eight-year career, and Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg is the latest.
How it unfolded
- Oct 21, 2026The Lakers beat the Warriors 127-105 at Crypto.com Arena; Dončić scored 28 points in three quarters with seven assists and eight rebounds, and Walker Kessler scored 26 on 12-for-12 shooting.
- Oct 21, 2026Dončić and Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg traded trash talk, and Dončić hit a half-court shot at the halftime buzzer in Lendeborg's face.
- Oct 21, 2026After the game Lendeborg said he had lost all respect for Dončić, calling him a complainer and a free-throw merchant.
- Oct 22, 2026Ziaire Williams, now Dončić's Lakers teammate, said it is better to be on Dončić's side than against him; Williams had nine points in 24 minutes in his Lakers debut.
- Oct 23, 2026Dončić had 23 points, six rebounds, seven assists and one block in 37 minutes in a 125-117 win over the Clippers, committing a career-high 11 turnovers.
- Oct 30, 2026The Lakers are scheduled to visit the Warriors in San Francisco, where Dončić and Lendeborg should meet again.
Who’s saying what
- Caution
- Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg said he lost all respect for Dončić, calling it "a lot of flopping, a lot of foul-baiting, a lot of praying to the ref."
- Support
- Lakers wing Ziaire Williams said it is "a lot better when you're on his side than the other side" and called Dončić the best player in the world.
- Analysts
- Lakers assistant coach Greg St. Jean described a "more refined Luka" who still leads with joy, saying the 27-year-old may lead differently than the 23-year-old did.