Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic has been fined $25,000 for publicly criticizing recent game officiating, the NBA announced Thursday.
Rajakovic, 44, did not hold back with reporters following the Raptors’ 132-131 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday.
He was particularly incensed that Scottie Barnes had just two free-throw attempts in the fourth quarter, which also were Toronto’s only two tries in the period. The Lakers had 23 free-throw attempts in the fourth quarter, making 19.
“That’s outrageous; what happened to us tonight, this is completely b.s.,” Rajakovic said Tuesday. “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? … I understand respect for All-Stars and all of that but we have star players on our team as well.”
Rajakovic was far from finished, as he pointed his index finger at times during his tirade.
How are you going to explain that to me?” Rajakovic said. “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. That was not fair tonight. And this is not happening for the first time for us.”
Rajakovic was asked if he received any explanation during the game.
“There is no explanation; they just see what they want to see,” he said. “They don’t want to hear us, what we have to say. They don’t want to hear the players.”
