Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic addressed his team’s 123-115 loss to the Sacramento Kings at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday. “Definitely a tough loss for us,” he said. “I think the game was really rebounding. They dominated the glass. They had 60 more rebounds than us. They had 19 offensive rebounds and Precious had 11 of those.”
Rajakovic emphasized the team’s struggles with effort and focus. “We just did not have enough discipline, enough effort to close on those possessions,” he explained. “We did really good job on DeRozan in the first half, but he can at any point catch fire. He was at two points in the first half and finished the game with 28. We did very poor job with discipline there following him, sending him to the free throw line when he was just catching the ball and sizing up in one-on-one situations. That was pretty much the game.”
The coach also noted the importance of intensity from the start. “When you don’t approach the game from the start with the level of intensity and attention to detail that you need, this is the outcome,” Rajakovic said. He attributed some of the team’s struggles to travel and back-to-back scheduling. “It was tough back-to-back with traveling last night from Detroit, later start of the game tonight as well. Our energy level was not there from the start, and that’s the main thing. Once we get our energy right, then our discipline and focus are better.”
Scottie Barnes’ performance drew particular attention, as Rajakovic discussed his dual responsibilities. “He has a lot on his plate. He’s trying to play make, you know, in another game with 10 assists. We also need him in this situation to score as well. It’s finding that fine balance between being aggressive to score and to play make. I think he’s trying to do his best in those situations.”
Rajakovic explained the decision to start Collin Murray-Boyles in the third quarter. “It was the matchups and the rebounding. We wanted more switchability in some of their actions, and we wanted Jakob to match up with their second unit guys, with Cardwell, to make sure we have size against him.”
The coach reflected on rookie adjustments after fouls on DeMar DeRozan. “For a rookie, you’re playing one way every night, then you come up against veterans who know all the tricks. This was a great learning opportunity for several young guys, matching up and guarding him.”
Regarding Jakob Poeltl, Rajakovic noted his performance on a back-to-back. “Physically he was fine, but like the whole team, rebounding was not great. He was handed the game with five rebounds, and we really needed that tonight. He really helped in some situations to stabilize us in spacing and with outlets, but rebounding was the main issue tonight.”
DeMar DeRozan led Sacramento with 28 points, 14 in the fourth quarter, and Precious Achiuwa added a season-high 19 rebounds with 28 points. The Raptors struggled at the line, finishing 22 of 32 compared with Sacramento’s 27 of 29, and their five-game home winning streak ended.
