Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajaković has been fined $25,000 by the NBA for publicly criticizing officials following Tuesday’s loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Raptors lost by a point, 132-131, and Rajaković was none too pleased with the foul disparity in the fourth quarter, which saw Toronto go to the line twice compared to the Lakers’ 23 visits.
“That’s outrageous. What happened tonight, this is completely B.S.,” Rajaković 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.”
“They had to win tonight? If that’s the case just let us know so we don’t show up for the game, just give them a win. But that was not fair tonight.”
Raptors Coach Darko Rajaković was NOT happy in his post game press-conference 😳 pic.twitter.com/sXVy4cKdFo
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 10, 2024
Rajaković was convinced the officials cost the Raptors a win. The Lakers’ Anthony Davis scored 20 of his 41 total points in the fourth quarter, going 11 for 11 at the free-throw line. The Lakers shot 36 free throws Tuesday night, 23 in the fourth quarter, while the Raptors totaled just 13 — only two in the fourth quarter.
“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?” Rajaković added, repeatedly slapping the table. “How is that possible? How are you going to explain that to me?
“They had to win tonight? If that’s the case, just let us know, so we don’t show up for the game,” Rajaković continued. “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 [the] whole season … it’s complete crap.”
LeBron James, meanwhile, had a different view of the game saying afterward, “I felt like they fouled and we didn’t.”
While is $25,000 lighter in the waller, Rajaković defending his team against what he believed was poor officiating will go a long way with his players.
“It just says that he’s all for us as a family, as a team,” Raptors’ center Thaddeus 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 1 coming in here. We love Darko to death. We think the world of Coach, and we definitely appreciate him going to bat for us.”
