Golden State Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg traded trash talk with Luka Dončić through much of his NBA debut. After Wednesday’s 127-105 season-opening loss at Crypto.com Arena, he went after the Los Angeles Lakers star for complaining to officials.

On ESPN’s “First Take,” Stephen A. Smith backed the rookie’s fight and took aim at the league over the technical foul Lendeborg received.

Stephen A. Smith Feels Yaxel Lendeborg, Luka Dončić Both Deserved Technicals

Lendeborg guarded Dončić for long stretches. The jawing between them peaked late in the second quarter, when the first-year forward was hit with a technical foul.

It was the only technical called in the game. Moments later, Dončić hit a half-court buzzer-beater going into halftime and pointed right at him.

Smith took issue with that whistle: “I was really ticked off when that referee gave Yaxel Lendeborg that technical foul. Give it to both of them. They were both talking. What you give it to him for? That wasn’t right. I’m calling out the NBA. NBA gotta stop that nonsense! Let them talk… I like that level of competition. I like that this kid didn’t back down.”

He also explained what he heard in the rookie’s postgame comments about Dončić: “Here’s why I’m supportive in what Yaxel is saying. He’s saying, ‘If you’re so great, stop whining to the officials. Just go out there and bust my [expletive]. But stop whining to the officials looking to them for help.'”

However, Smith paired a caveat with his support.

“I don’t agree with what Lendeborg said because Luka Dončić does not suck. He’s a superstar in this game. But I do agree with him going after Luka the way that he did, competing the way he competed, talking his talking, and what have you. This kid is not a scrub. He’s a talented brother.”

Warriors coach Steve Kerr disputed the call after the game. He said it should at least have been a double technical.

Lendeborg was candid about what drew the whistle: “I was telling him he sucks … You’re talking, you can’t score on me. I said it the whole game. I said a couple cuss words, obviously, that’s why I got the technical and all that.”

The rookie’s sharpest words came when he described what he saw up close: “Being in there firsthand, just watching all the whining and complaining, I lost all respect for him.”

Dončić, who finished with a game-high 28 points, addressed the trash talk after the game.

”Everybody knows when somebody starts talking, you get a different me,” he said.

According to ESPN, Dončić shot 1-of-6 with Lendeborg as his primary defender. Overall, the two-time scoring champion went 7-of-18 from the field and 9-of-9 at the line, finishing plus-31. Meanwhile, Lendeborg finished with 12 points in 29 minutes.

The Warriors next host the Memphis Grizzlies in their home opener Friday. Then, Dončić and the Lakers come to Chase Center on Oct. 30 for the teams’ second regular-season meeting.