Another fourth-quarter collapse for the Raptors takes their record against top-10 teams to 1-15, outside of the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Rajakovic makes defense his main point in the loss.
The Toronto Raptors lost their second-straight game Wednesday night, this time in a 110-107 defeat to the San Antonio Spurs. While French sensation Victor Wembanyama was held to 12 points on 3-for-12 shooting, an early fourth-quarter storm by the Spurs erased a 12-point lead and allowed the momentum to shift enough for San Antonio to secure the win.
All things considered, the Raptors held their own against the second seed in the Western Conference on the second night of a back-to-back. Scottie Barnes was able to continue his Defensive Player of the Year campaign with his lockdown defense on the perimeter and help on the 7-foot-4 All-Star down low. He finished the night with 15 points to match three steals and a block.
Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (4) and San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) | © John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Head coach Darko Rajakovic spoke with the media postgame about the team's defensive performance.
“I’m really, really excited when I’m seeing our guys, how they’re competing on the ball,” said Rajakovic. “Tonight it was Scottie [Barnes], and [Collin Murray-Boyles], and [Immanuel] Quickley, and Jamal [Shead], and Ja’Kobe [Walter], our whole team played to that level and that standard I think our fans are recognizing how hard this team is playing, and that’s why we have the best fans, and they’re coming over here supporting us every night.”
Defensive effort is not something the Raptors have typically lacked this season. When the team is led defensively by the franchise player like Barnes, it’s easy to follow suit and commit as much energy and intensity as he does on a nightly basis. After last night’s four stocks (steals + blocks), Barnes actually lost his NBA lead in the total to Wembanyama, who contributed five blocks in the win.
The Serbian head coach expressed his frustration, yet pride in the team’s effort against one of the best teams in the NBA. The Raptors’ record now stands at 1-15 against the NBA’s top-10 teams, excluding the Cleveland Cavaliers, with several losses coming by way of a fourth-quarter collapse, as seen last night. In the midst of a stretch of five top-10 teams in seven games, Toronto can quickly find itself dropping in the Eastern Conference standings, as it is now 2.5 games behind the fourth seed and 1.5 games above the sixth seed.
Who is Next for Toronto?
Up next for the Raptors is a road match in Washington, D.C. against the Wizards on Saturday night at 7:00 PM EST. After that come two more top-10 teams in the New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves, whom they have a combined record of 0-4 against. While they technically will have the rest advantage in some of these games, the Raptors will go back and forth between home and road games for the next four games, until a back-to-back set against the Houston Rockets and New Orleans Pelicans.