Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic reflected on his team’s performance following Sunday’s 120-98 loss to the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center. “Congratulations to Phoenix. They had much more urgency tonight from the jump ball. They set a tone and usually that’s what we do to teams. Tonight, we did not do it,” Rajakovic said.
He highlighted the team’s lack of intensity throughout the game. “We did not have that urgency from the start of the game and one thing led to another. They caught fire early, making shots. We tried to fight back and in the second quarter we had a couple of really good minutes, but we just did not have enough tonight,” he explained.
Rajakovic defended his players when questioned about individual performances. “Obviously it’s a team effort or lack of effort, but Brandon just did not look like himself. It’s a whole team. We win as a team, we lose as a team. I thought our whole team tonight did not have enough urgency for the game and enough respect for our opponent,” he said.
On defensive issues against the Suns’ pace and spacing, Rajakovic noted, “With Jak, a couple of times we got caught in mismatches in transition. They move at such pace and efficiency that we got caught off guard several times. That was the main reason for some defensive breakdowns.”
Rajakovic addressed Sandro Mamukelashvili’s shooting struggles, emphasizing trust in his players. “Sandro is the player that needs to make shots for us. That’s his job. That’s huge value that he brings to this team. I believe that he’s going to make them,” he said.
When asked about energizing a team lacking urgency, Rajakovic admitted the difficulty. “I wish I knew the answer for that one. I tried everything—encouraging, not encouraging. We failed. We did not have it tonight,” he said.
He did find a positive in the performance of his bench. “Those guys coming off the bench did a good job. They really competed. It’s good to see them out there competing and playing hard,” Rajakovic said.
The Raptors remain fifth in the Eastern Conference with a 39-31 record, just a half-game ahead of the Hawks and 76ers. Scottie Barnes led Toronto with 17 points, while Brandon Ingram added six points on 3-of-10 shooting. Phoenix jumped out early, shooting 8 of 12 from three in the first quarter, and never trailed.
Rajakovic’s comments underscore the team’s need for consistency and intensity as the Raptors approach the final 10 games of the regular season. “We try to get back to our identity, but we just did not have enough tonight,” he concluded.
