Ingram's clutch scoring and playmaking draw high praise from Rajakovic.
The Toronto Raptors came out of the All-Star break focused, and Brandon Ingram made sure the rest of the league noticed.
In their first game back, Ingram dropped 31 points, eight rebounds, and six assists in a 110-101 win over the Chicago Bulls on February 19.
It was a performance that has become a familiar sight for Raptors fans this season, and head coach Darko Rajakovic summed it up simply after the game.
"It's a huge luxury for me as a coach to have (Ingram) in those situations," Rajakovic said. "He's just not getting rattled. He gets to the spot on the floor and reads the game really well. If he has a good shot, he's gonna take it."
With the postseason creeping closer, the Raptors sit at 33-23, good for fifth place in the Eastern Conference, per Basketball Reference.
Ingram is leading the way with 22.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game on 47.2 percent shooting this season.
The Ice in His Veins
What makes Ingram so valuable is not just that he can score, but how he does it when it matters most.
Late in the win over Chicago, with the Bulls having clawed back to within two, Ingram sealed it with a smooth 17-footer with 36 seconds left.
Rajakovic also pointed to his six assists, including the pass he found Collin Murray-Boyles under the rim for a key layup in the closing minutes.
Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, and Ja'Kobe Walter each added 14 points, showing the kind of depth that can make noise come playoff time.
A New Star in Toronto
Ingram's first full season with the Raptors has been one of the bigger stories in the Eastern Conference.
After arriving from the New Orleans Pelicans last February and missing the rest of the 2024-25 season with an ankle injury, he came back healthy and never looked back.
He was later named a 2026 NBA All-Star as a replacement for the injured Stephen Curry, earning his second career selection after being passed over when the initial reserves were announced.
The fact that he has appeared in all 54 of Toronto's games has been just as important as his numbers, given how much injuries cost him in New Orleans.
Can He Lead Them Deep?
The question now is whether Ingram can push the Raptors into a deep playoff run.
Toronto has a real shot, but the road gets harder against the top teams in the league.
The Raptors are just 4-13 against top-10 opponents, a number that has to improve.
Still, the pieces are there, and Ingram has a track record of playing his best basketball down the stretch.
If he keeps attacking spots and making the right reads, Toronto has exactly the kind of closer playoff teams need when the stakes are highest.