Following a contentious 132-131 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, Toronto Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic unleashed a post-game tirade against the officiating.
Expressing vehement frustration, Rajakovic criticized the substantial free throw disparity, particularly in the fourth quarter, where the Lakers attempted 23 free throws compared to the Raptors’ meager two.
The visibly upset coach labeled the situation as “completely bullsh*t,” emphasizing his disappointment with the referees and the league’s allowance of such discrepancies.
In a fiery outburst, Rajakovic questioned the fairness of the officiating. The Raptors’ coach, in his first year at the helm, passionately criticized the lack of free throw opportunities for his players, including rising star Scottie Barnes, whom he deemed worthy of All-Star recognition. Rajakovic’s frustration boiled over as he repeatedly slammed the table, demanding a closer look at the officiating disparity.
Phoenix Suns stars Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, along with head coach Frank Vogel, were asked for their reactions to Rajakovic’s rant.
Durant, acknowledging his coaching experience with Darko at OKC, emphasized the challenges for both referees and players in assessing foul calls.
“Darko coached me for few years at OKC and he’s been at it since then … ,” Durant said. “I appreciate that from all coaches. I didn’t see the game so I can’t really assess how fouls were called and what really happened throughout the game. I think people have to watch each foul to really see what it was like. It’s tough being a ref, it’s tough being a player in some of those plays.”
Booker commended Rajakovic’s emotional investment in his team, expressing admiration for a coach who passionately stands for his players.
“I know the players for Toronto respected that,” said Booker. “You want a coach that cares that much and is definitely emotional about winning and losing and standing for his team. I didn’t watch the game, I don’t know what calls he’s talking about. But you got to love that from your coach.”
Vogel praised Rajakovic for speaking up against egregious officiating, applauding the coach’s commitment to defending his team.
“Good for him for standing for his team,” Vogel said. “It’s always a time and place to speak up when it’s egregious like that. I commend him for speaking up and standing up for his team.”
