Darko Rajakovic Sends Message on Raptors' Expectations Before Opener

Madison Square Garden gave the Toronto Raptors a tougher test on Thursday night than they got earlier in the week, and even though the New York Knicks won 122-120, Toronto's starters looked ready for the games that count.

The Knicks won the 2026 NBA Finals, so this was a good test for a team that opens its regular season in less than a week.

Forward Scottie Barnes led the way with 23 points on 9-of-15 shooting, and he made four of his five threes while blocking four shots.

Forward RJ Barrett added 21 points and eight rebounds against his former team, and guard Immanuel Quickley, another former Knick, chipped in 18 points and seven assists.

Forward Kawhi Leonard had a slower night with six points, but Toronto was a plus-8 with him on the floor before he left the game in the third quarter and did not come back.

The Toronto Sun reported that the Raptors chose to play Leonard on Thursday instead of in Friday's preseason finale at Detroit, two days after a 50-point rout of the Knicks in Toronto when New York rested most of its regular players.

Guard Jalen Brunson scored 20 points for New York, and the Knicks held Toronto to 21 points in the third quarter before the Raptors scored 41 in the fourth and had a chance to tie or win it late.

Head coach Darko Rajakovic was asked earlier this week about the higher expectations that came with Leonard's return, and he pushed back on the idea that anything had changed, as reported by Raptors Republic.

"Our expectations are not changing, our expectations are the same. We're chasing championships from Day 1," Rajakovic said.

He went on to say the staff still wants to develop and trust every player on the roster while trying to win every game, and he added that the team's own expectations are higher than what others expect.

I like his answer, because this is Rajakovic's fourth season in Toronto and the Raptors already landed on a list of teams under the most pressure this year.

A coach who talks about titles from the first day is putting that pressure on himself, but this roster has enough talent to back it up if Leonard stays healthy.

The Sun noted that Toronto found success with Leonard and the other starters, and later with forward Collin Murray-Boyles in place of center Jakob Poeltl, which fits what Leonard, Barnes and Murray-Boyles have shown together this preseason.

Toronto visits the Detroit Pistons tonight in its last preseason game, and then the regular season opens at home against the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, Oct. 21.

Rookie forward Allen Graves did not play Thursday, and the Sun suggested that was likely because he is coming off a groin injury and a back-to-back is not a good idea for him right now.

I believe Rajakovic when he says the goal has not changed, and Thursday gave him some proof.

I want to see Barnes, Leonard and Murray-Boyles on the floor together late in the Bulls game, because that is the group that can turn his title talk into wins.