A frustrated Darko Rajaković highlighted perceived officiating bias and excessive physicality after Toronto Raptors’ overtime loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajaković voiced frustration with officiating following his team’s 121-117 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night. In a game that saw multiple lead changes and momentum swings, Rajaković singled out what he viewed as excessive physicality and a lack of calls that could have opened the floor for offensive execution.
When asked what the Raptors could have done differently to help Brandon Ingram find better positioning, Rajaković said, “I have one opinion that might be biased right now, I thought their physicality was a lot, with a lot of hands, and a lot of illegal grabbing and holding. I got to see it better on the film as well.”
The Raptors led for much of the fourth quarter, before the Clippers rallied on a 20-8 run. James Harden scored the final eight points of regulation to force overtime and then continued his strong night with eight of his 31 points in the extra period. Ivica Zubac added 16 points and 14 rebounds. Kawhi Leonard was sidelined with a sprained right ankle, but Harden’s leadership proved decisive.
Toronto was without RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley, further straining their lineup. Ingram finished with 19 points, six rebounds and two assists, while Scottie Barnes was the only Raptors player to score in overtime, contributing all eight of the team’s points in that frame.
Quarter‑by‑Quarter Breakdown and Collapse
The Raptors started strong, outscoring the Clippers 32-24 in the first quarter and maintaining small leads through the first half. Through three quarters, Toronto led 89-78, appearing poised to control the game. But Los Angeles chipped away in the third before exploding in the fourth, scoring 31 fourth‑quarter points to Toronto’s 20, overcoming the deficit and forcing overtime.
The Clippers, now on a five‑game winning streak, showed resilience despite missing Leonard, with supporting scorers such as Jordan Miller (19 points), Cam Christie (16) and Kris Dunn (15) contributing when needed.
Toronto’s loss dropped their record to 25-18, their second defeat in three games. The Raptors must review film and address spacing and execution issues as they aim to maintain a strong playoff position in the Eastern Conference. Next up for Toronto is a matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena. LA enters Sunday’s game with one win in their last five games, a poor form the Raptors will hope to capitalize on ahead of a tough road stretch