In a dramatic post-game outburst, Toronto Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic expressed intense frustration with the officiating in their narrow 132-131 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers during Tuesday’s NBA action.
Rajakovic, in his first year leading Toronto, was incensed by the free throw discrepancy, particularly in the fourth quarter, where the Lakers were awarded 23 free throws.
The focus of his ire was the free throw count in favor of the Lakers, driven by Anthony Davis’ 11-11 performance from the line in the last quarter, contributing to his 41-point total. Davis alone took more free throws than the entire Raptors team, a point Rajakovic emphasized as “outrageous” and a “shame” for the referees and the league.
“It’s outrageous. What happened tonight, this is completely B.S.,” Rajakovic said. “This is shame. Shame for the referees. Shame for the league to allow this. Twenty-three free throws for them, and we get two free throws in the fourth quarter? Like, how to play the game? I understand respect for All-Stars and all that, but we have star players on our team as well.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Darko Rajakovic, Toronto Raptors, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers Updates
Rajakovic highlighted the disparity in treatment of players, questioning how Scottie Barnes, a player he regards as All-Star caliber, only received two free throws despite aggressive play. His repeated table-slapping emphasized his disbelief and demand for an explanation.
“How (is it) possible that Scottie Barnes, who is All-Star-caliber player in this league, he goes every single time to the rim with force and trying to get to the rim without flopping and not trying to get foul calls, he gets two free throws for a whole game?” Rajakovic added. “How is that possible? How are you going to explain that to me?”
Despite missing their starting center, Jakob Poeltl, due to injury, the Raptors were competitive, with notable performances from Barnes, Pascal Siakam, RJ Barrett, and Immanuel Quickley. Barrett and Quickley, recent acquisitions from New York, contributed significantly. Still, it wasn’t enough to overcome the Lakers, led by Davis’ dominant fourth-quarter showing and LeBron James’ all-around play.
“They had to win tonight? If that’s the case, just let us know, so we don’t show up for the game,” Rajakovic said. “Just give them a win. But that was not fair tonight. And this is not happening first time for us. Scottie Barnes is gonna be (an) All-Star. He’s gonna be the face of this league, and what’s happening over here during whole season … it’s complete crap.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Darko Rajakovic, Toronto Raptors, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers Updates
The coach’s fiery defense of his team, including a sarcastic remark about being informed in advance if the Lakers were meant to win, suggests he might face a substantial fine. However, his team, including Thaddeus Young, appreciated his support, viewing it as a sign of his commitment to the team.
“It just says that he’s all for us as a family, as a team,” Young said. “We’re always going to stick together. We’re always going to be behind one another as a family, as a team. We’re always going to stick together, and he’s always been behind us since Day One coming in here. We love Darko to death. We think the world of Coach, and we definitely appreciate him going to bat for us.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Darko Rajakovic, Toronto Raptors, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers Updates
Meanwhile, the Lakers secured their second consecutive win, with Davis overcoming his usual late-game issues to clinch the game with free throws. The game had dramatic moments, including a flagrant foul by Quickley and a crucial block by Davis on Barnes.
“It was all of us,” Davis said. “It wasn’t just me. Big-time stops. We got rebounds, and they wanted me to get the ball as far as free throws, but the team was just making the right reads and trying to finish.”
The Raptors, still adjusting to their new lineup and coping with Poeltl’s absence, will next face the Los Angeles Clippers, while the Lakers are set to host the Phoenix Suns in their upcoming games.
