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Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic emphasized energy and fight in his postgame assessment after a 115-105 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference first-round series on Monday.
“I thought that we had right energy, right focus. I thought the fight was there. I’m really proud of our guys in the fight there,” Rajakovic said, opening his comments on his team’s overall effort.
Despite the positive tone on intensity, Rajakovic repeatedly returned to one decisive factor in the game. “I really think it came down to turnovers. Turnovers really cost us,” he said, noting Cleveland converted them into “22 points.”
He added that those mistakes were amplified by Cleveland’s shot creation. “That was a bunch of points in the paint there as well,” Rajakovic said, referencing the Cavaliers’ ability to punish breakdowns.
Rajakovic also highlighted the offensive force of Cleveland’s top creators. “You have two exceptional players in Mitchell and Harden, how they create in isolations and in pick and rolls and how they playmake,” he said after Donovan Mitchell scored 30 points and James Harden added 28.
The Raptors coach pointed to late-game execution as another key swing. “I think it was like four or five buzzer beaters that they scored tonight in a game that was a 10-point game,” Rajakovic said.
On Brandon Ingram’s performance, Rajakovic remained supportive despite a difficult shooting night. “Brandon is a very important player for us. The ball did not go in tonight. We need him to continue being aggressive and shooting. I got absolute support for him,” he said.
RJ Barrett drew strong praise from the Raptors coach for his two-way effort. “He really brought a lot of different element. I love it. I love his fight. I love his energy. I love the focus that he had tonight. He had a playoff performance tonight with his tenacity,” Rajakovic said.
Toronto’s bench unit also earned recognition, particularly Collin Murray-Boyles and Ja’Kobe Walter. “Bench was really good. Ja’Kobe, Collin, Sandro, all the minutes that they got. Those three guys did a really good job from playmaking, shooting the ball,” he said.
Rajakovic explained a key rotation decision involving Murray-Boyles. “We wanted to be able to switch more in pick and rolls and Collin was providing better matchup there,” he said.
He also described Murray-Boyles’ adaptation to playoff physicality. “He did not flinch one moment. He did not back off. So really proud of him. This is amazing for his growth,” Rajakovic said.
Looking ahead, Rajakovic stressed film review and adjustments after consecutive turnover-heavy games. “I want our team to play extremely aggressive, to go touch the paint, to playmake,” he said.
He concluded by emphasizing discipline within the playoff environment. “It’s not a time to really be distracted by the outside noise,” Rajakovic said. “We got to continue that throughout the whole entire playoffs.”
With the series shifting to Toronto, the Raptors face the challenge of tightening possession control while sustaining the defensive identity Rajakovic said they showed in Cleveland.
