Toronto Raptors' Head Coach Unleashes Fiery Tirade at Officials Following Narrow 132-131 Loss to LA Lakers
Toronto Raptors coach Darko RajakoviÄ unleashes a scathing tirade at officials after a heartbreaking 132-131 loss to the LA Lakers, expressing his vehement outrage towards their performance
Following the Toronto Raptors' narrow 132-131 defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, head coach Darko Rajaković expressed his frustration with the referees. He was particularly upset about the significant difference in free throws, with the Lakers shooting 36 compared to the Raptors' 13.
In just the fourth quarter, the Lakers made 23 free throws, while the Raptors only made two.
"That's unacceptable," RajakoviÄ angrily expressed. "What happened tonight is completely unfair. It's a disgrace. Shame on the referees and shame on the league for allowing this. They had 23 free throws and we only had two in the fourth quarter? How is that fair play?"
I respect All-Stars just like everyone else, but we have star players on our team too. It's hard to believe that Scottie Barnes, who plays at an All-Star level, consistently drives to the rim with aggression and without flopping or trying to draw fouls, yet only gets two free throws in an entire game. Can someone explain that to me?
The NBA implemented a new flopping penalty at the beginning of the current season in an effort to discourage players from exaggerating contact from opponents and exaggerating fouls to game officials.
Anthony Davis shot 11 free throws in the fourth quarter.
Ashley Landis/AP
Lakers' forward Anthony Davis scored 41 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, and dished out six assists. He also made 11 free throws in the fourth quarter, leading the Lakers to a close victory.
"This isn't the first time for us. Scottie Barnes is going to become an All-Star and the face of this league. The entire season's events are complete nonsense."
LeBron James contributed 22 points, 12 assists, and five rebounds for the Lakers. Cam Reddish, Taurean Prince, Austin Reeves, Christian Wood, and D'Angelo Russell all scored in double figures.
RJ Barrett has maintained his impressive performance with the Raptors since being traded from the New York Knicks, scoring 23 points, grabbing 10 rebounds, and dishing out five assists. Barnes also contributed with 26 points, six assists, and three rebounds. Pascal Siakam added 25 points to the team's score, while Immanuel Quickley, another player from the Barrett trade, scored 21 points.
Rajaković is expected to receive a substantial fine from the NBA for his outburst on Tuesday night. The Lakers are now 19-19, placing them 10th in the Western Conference, while the Raptors are 15-22, holding the 11th spot in the East.
