Brief

Steve Kerr dismisses Yaxel Lendeborg’s defensive brag about Luka Dončić

Kerr said the rookie’s one‑on‑one effort mattered little as the Lakers outscored Golden State 120‑? on opening night.

By Felo News Desk · Published Sat, 24 Oct 2026 18:40:24 GMT

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr brushed off rookie Yaxel Lendeborg’s claim that he limited Luka Dončić, saying the team’s overall defense was the bigger issue after the Lakers’ opening‑night blowout on Oct. 21, 2026.

What happened

In the season‑opening game at Crypto.com Arena, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Warriors by a wide margin, scoring 120 points while Golden State managed 105. Luka Dončić posted 28 points, and Yaxel Lendeborg recorded 12 points, four personal fouls and one technical foul in 29 minutes.

What the reports add

The New York Post reported that Lendeborg claimed he held Dončić to 1‑of‑5 shooting in their matchups and said he had “lost all respect” for the Slovenian star after the game. Kerr’s response, also quoted by the Post, was that the rookie’s individual defense was irrelevant because the Warriors were “torched” as a team.

What was said

Steve Kerr told the Post, “He did a good job on Luka 1‑on‑1, but we got torched by Luka as a team. I don’t care. … It’s like, they scored 120 on us. That stuff’s all bulls‑t. It’s our defense.” He added, “He’s a little bit of a coaster. I want to see him run the floor harder… if we get him to run the court both ways a little faster, he’ll be more of a threat.”

How it came about

Kerr’s comments follow earlier coverage of Lendeborg’s rookie season, including a Oct. 8 report that the Warriors expected him to log heavy minutes and a Oct. 22 article documenting the heated exchange between Dončić and Lendeborg after the Lakers’ 127‑105 win. The ongoing rivalry sets up another matchup when the Lakers visit the Chase Center next week.

Key facts

• Lakers beat Warriors 120‑105 on Oct. 21, 2026 (nypost.com)
• Luka Dončić scored 28 points in the game (nypost.com)
• Yaxel Lendeborg finished with 12 points, four fouls and one technical (nypost.com)
• Steve Kerr said the rookie’s defense mattered little as the team was outscored (nypost.com)

Sources

• [1] nypost.com — originally reported as “Steve Kerr calls out Yaxel Lendeborg’s defense on Luka Doncic: ‘Who the eff cares?’”