The NBA had a busy weekend, with a rookie facing disciplinary action after an on-court altercation and Luka Doncic continuing his remarkable scoring run in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg (the newest Luka rival) delivered a historic performance in Stephen Curry’s absence. Amid all this, on the Eastern front, Julius Randle provided one of the night’s most heated moments during Brooklyn’s win over Indiana.
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Let’s dive into it all, beginning with the Hawks controversy.
Hawks Rookie Kingston Flemings Suspended for One Game
The NBA has suspended Atlanta Hawks rookie guard Kingston Flemings for one game without pay after his nasty move against a New Orleans Pelicans guard. The 19-year-old Hawks rookie elbowed Pelicans’ Bryce McGowens in the head during the Hawks’ 121-99 loss on Saturday.
The incident took place with 3:04 remaining in the fourth quarter.
McGowens had blocked Flemings’ layup attempt, and the two players were running alongside each other as they headed back down the court. Flemings then swung his elbow into McGowens’ head, prompting officials to review the play.
They assessed a technical foul and ejected the Hawks rookie. Post-game, Flemings apologized for the incident and said it was out of general “frustration” of being on the losing side and not about something unusual from McGowens.
On Sunday, the league announced a suspension, with Flemings set to miss Monday’s road game against the Indiana Pacers. He will be eligible to return when Atlanta faces the Washington Wizards on Wednesday.
The absence leaves the Hawks without one of their young backcourt options for the matchup. Flemings, the eighth overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, has learnt an early lesson.
Luka Doncic Continues to Rewrite NBA History
Apart from the Stephen Curry-induced brutal ankle-breaker, Luka Doncic has had a perfect start to the season. He is wasting little time building his legacy in Los Angeles’ post-LeBron James era.
The Lakers superstar followed up his explosive performance against Golden State with a sensational 45-point outing against the Toronto Raptors, leading his team to a 131-125 win on Sunday.
He knocked down eight of 12 three-pointers, four of which came in the first quarter.
His first quarter was particularly productive, as he scored 16 points along with four steals. This effort made him the first player in NBA history to have a 1st quarter with 4+ STL & 4+ 3PM.
The performance came two nights after he scored 21 points in the opening quarter against the Warriors, although Los Angeles eventually suffered a 17-point defeat.
The latest outing also brought another franchise milestone. Doncic recorded his 21st 40-point game as a Laker, reaching the mark in just 98 regular-season appearances. He is sixth on the list of Lakers players with the most 40+ point games, with Kobe Bryant leading with 122 such games, and LeBron James one place behind Doncic with 18 such games.
Now, we shift our focus to Luka’s new rival, who, on his part, has created his own history.
Yaxel Lendeborg Joins Wilt Chamberlain and Rick Barry in Warriors History
The Golden State Warriors needed someone to step up with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green unavailable against the Los Angeles Clippers. Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg answered the call with a career-high 37 points on 13-of-19 shooting.
It’s the highest score by a Warriors rookie since Stephen Curry (42 pts, 2010), per ESPN.
It was a significant response after Lendeborg managed only six points before fouling out against the Lakers 48 hours earlier. More importantly, the performance added another chapter to his remarkable start in the NBA.
Through his first seven career games, Lendeborg has averaged 22.3 points per game. That makes him only the third player in Warriors history to average at least 20 points over his first seven appearances, joining Hall of Famers Wilt Chamberlain (37.4 in 1959-60) and Rick Barry (22.9 in 1965-66).
Lendeborg also embraced the responsibility that came with Curry’s absence. “Whenever Steph’s not in the game, it’s my opportunity to try to be the leader, be the main guy on the team,” he said after the game.
A brand new chapter in the Warriors’ crumbling dynasty.
Julius Randle’s Heated Exchange Gets Caught on Mic
The Brooklyn Nets finally secured their first win of the season, beating the Indiana Pacers 98-90 on Sunday. But Julius Randle’s heated exchange with Indiana forward Jalen Slawson became one of the night’s most talked-about moments.
Around the 7th minute mark in the fourth quarter, Randle committed a hard foul on Larry Nance Jr. to stop a transition opportunity. Slawson wasn’t really impressed with it.
He took exception to the contact and approached Randle, seemingly looking to defend his teammate.
Randle did not back down. Floor microphones picked up his blunt response: “Shut yo b**** a** up, do something.”
The exchange added some extra edge to an otherwise important night for Brooklyn. Randle finished with 20 points and six assists, while Michael Porter Jr. led the Nets with 23 points.
After opening the season with five consecutive losses, Brooklyn finally got its first victory. The Nets will hope Sunday’s result gives them something to build on.