Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic reflected on Wednesday’s 119-94 defeat to the LA Clippers at Intuit Dome, highlighting the team’s slow start and the adjustments needed moving forward.
“Defense. First quarter I thought that we came out and we did not have energy and focus that’s recognizable for us,” Rajakovic said. “I thought that the Clippers played really good game. They were making shots, making some tough shots over the dribble step backs.”
Rajakovic noted that missed opportunities compounded the early deficit. “Us missing a couple of open shots, our energy was not there. We were not able to play through that early in the game,” he explained.
Despite the rough start, Rajakovic credited his team for rebounding in the second quarter. “Since that point from the second quarter, I thought that we played really well. We were very competitive. They just were shooting the ball really well tonight,” he said.
Addressing concerns about urgency, he clarified, “I would not call it lack of urgency. It’s not that the guys did not want to do it or were not focused. It just took a little bit of spirit from us, and I give credit to our team that they were able to come back from that flat start and really find juice and energy and fight for the rest of the game.”
Rajakovic also shared insights on offensive strategy without the starting point guard. “It has to come through first of all to create opportunities in transition, so we can get shots there. For the big part of the game, we were touching the paint, kicking the ball out, getting good shots,” he said, noting that execution and effective screening were key.
When asked about adjustments during the second-half stretch, he said, “Without our starting point guard and with rotation being a little bit different, Collin is still searching for his way. He’s not in the same rhythm he was before his injury. Even tonight was better than the previous game.” Rajakovic also mentioned experimenting with lineups, including Markelle Fultz, Scottie Barnes, Collin Murray-Boyles, Jakob Poeltl, and Sandro Mamukelashvili on the floor together.
Looking ahead to the remainder of the season, Rajakovic emphasized team cohesion. “Now there are 10 more games left. It’s very exciting. I think it’s very important that our group continues to stay together, support each other, and outcompete our opponents,” he said.
Wednesday’s loss dropped the Raptors to sixth in the Eastern Conference with a 40-32 record, one game behind the Atlanta Hawks. Toronto will look to rebound against the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday, while the Clippers, led by Kawhi Leonard’s 27 points, continue their push for a favorable play-in spot with a 37-36 record.
