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Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic delivered a clear message after his team’s 114-102 Game 7 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, stressing pride, growth, and belief in the group despite elimination in the Eastern Conference first round.
“I thought we gave it all. Everything we got today,” Rajakovic said. “Guys were awesome. We were fighting for every possession. We were fighting for everything on the floor.”
The Raptors were eliminated at Rocket Arena in Cleveland after a game defined by a decisive Cavaliers surge across the second and third quarters. Jarrett Allen’s 22 points and 19 rebounds led Cleveland, while Toronto struggled to contain the interior and defensive pressure over key stretches.
Rajakovic credited the opponent’s execution without diminishing his team’s effort. “We made it really hard for them. That was not an easy game for them to win,” he said. “Congratulations to Cleveland. Have a lot of respect for Kenny, a lot of respect for that roster.”
Toronto led for long stretches early, but a Cleveland run flipped the game through turnovers and missed looks. Rajakovic pointed directly to one stretch as the turning point.
“Third quarter, start of the third quarter, we had six or five or six wide open shots that we missed,” he said. “They were able to capitalize on that to score quickly in transition and that created that separation.”
Even with the loss, the Raptors coach emphasized identity over result. “We never look to find excuses,” Rajakovic said. “We don’t look at excuses that we are missing players. We’re not looking for excuses that we are tired.”
Toronto played without full strength for stretches of the series, but Rajakovic instead focused on culture and consistency. “I think that we created a culture that we are one of the hardest playing teams in the league,” he said. “We put a lot of pride in that.”
Scottie Barnes’ seven-game performance was also a major talking point. Rajakovic highlighted the versatility the young forward showed across the series.
“For this stage, I think he gave it all for this stage of his career,” he said. “I think he made a huge stride. He got so much better in this playoff series.”
However, he also made a longer-term projection about Barnes’ development curve. “This is not the best version of Scottie that we’re going to see,” Rajakovic said. “I know how hungry he is.”
Asked about the season overall, Rajakovic delivered a definitive assessment of progress. “Absolute success,” he said. “From developing our young guys, from our culture making a next step… I think this was exactly what this team needed.”
Rajakovic also revealed the personal impact of the playoff run ending. “I learned how much I love this roster, how much I love my players,” he said. “Tomorrow I’m going to be missing coaching those guys.”
The Raptors finish the season after reaching Game 7 on the road, a step forward in a rebuilding trajectory that Rajakovic believes is already reshaping the franchise’s foundation.
