‘It’s outrageous’: Toronto Raptors head coach goes on furious rant at officials after 132-131 defeat to LA Lakers
By Matias Grez, CNN
(CNN) — Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajaković let rip at the referees following his team’s narrow 132-131 defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday.
Rajaković was left furious by the free throw disparity between the two teams, with the Lakers shooting 36 free throws in the game compared to the Raptors’ 13.
In the fourth quarter alone, the Lakers shot 23 free throws; the Raptors shot only two.
“That’s outrageous,” Rajaković fumed. “What happened tonight, this is completely BS. 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. How is [it] possible that Scottie Barnes, who is an 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?
“How is that possible? How are you going to explain that to me?”
The NBA introduced a flopping penalty before the start of the current season to try and deter players from embellishing contact from opponents and selling fouls to game officials.
Lakers big man Anthony Davis, who finished with 41 points, 11 rebounds and six assists, shot 11 free throws in the fourth quarter alone to drag the Lakers to the narrow victory.
“They came 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 [for the] first time for us. Scottie Barnes is going to be [an] All-Star. He’s going to be the face of this league and what’s happening over here during whole season … it’s complete crap.”
LeBron James added 22 points, 12 assists and five rebounds for the Lakers, while Cam Reddish, Taurean Prince, Austin Reeves, Christian Wood and D’Angelo Russell all scored double figures.
For the Raptors, RJ Barrett continued his fine form since being traded from the New York Knicks by registering 23 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, whiles Barnes added 26 points, six assists and three rebounds.
Pascal Siakam added another 25 points and Immanuel Quickley, who also arrived in the Barrett trade, notched 21 points.
Meanwhile, Rajaković can likely expect to receive a hefty fine from the NBA for Tuesday night’s outburst.
The win leaves the Lakers 19-19 and sitting in 10th in the Western Conference, while the Raptors are now 15-22 in 11th place in the East.
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