As expected, Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic has been fined $25K by the NBA for blasting the officiating following Tuesday’s one-point loss to the Lakers in Los Angeles, the league announced (via Twitter).
Toronto carried a narrow lead into the fourth quarter, but the Lakers eked out a win after going 19-of-23 from the foul line and scoring 44 points in the final frame. The Raptors were awarded two free throws during the game’s final 12 minutes.
“That’s outrageous. What happened tonight, this is completely B.S.,” Rajakovic said (Twitter video link via Dime). “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?
“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. 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 (the) whole season … it’s complete crap.”
Tuesday’s officiating crew was led by Ben Taylor, who was also on the receiving end of a postgame media rant from a member of the Raptors last season, when Fred VanVleet called his performance “f–king terrible” and pointed out that most of his technical fouls were called in games refereed by Taylor. VanVleet was docked $30K for those comments, notes Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca (via Twitter), so Rajakovic’s fine comes in a little lower than that.
He’ll make more in endorsements because of it and earned the respect from the rest of the NBA for keeping the LeBron narrative in check. Lakers suck, stop putting them in the national TV games.
What endorsements are you referring to? Clipboards.com?
I remember when LeBron would sit out national televised games lol. To many people watching me and don’t want to look bad. I’m glad he took some pride and is showing up now
Nobody pays to see the zebras ruin games!
They are there for the same reason WWE has refs. Same exact job, to listen to silver and play everything out for masses
a little different WWE is all fake they already know the winner so it’s not really officiating so much as using a script. but I’m sure they do some officiating when people go off script just my opinion
The NBA needs to hold it’s officials accountable and correct their mistakes live…
Have some refs watching film in the building…
Less mistakes will make for a much better belief in the competition…
The tradeoff is longer time to make decisions, longer stoppages, more breaks in the game.
This is shame
Personally think coaches and players should be allowed to fry officials post game. If you’re going to stick a micro phone in players face right after the game don’t punish them for being honest.
As a Raps fan I have kinda questioned/doubted Coach Darko so far, but his rant earned him a lot of respect from me. I was watching that game and felt not even anger, but disbelief. I was thinking to myself are you f*ing serious? This looks legitimately rigged! Apparently I wasn’t the only one.
Where is the Rollins report
Totally worth it. Outstanding rant. Players (looking at you, Siakam, Barrett, Trent, Poeltl, Schroder) should pool together and pay this.