Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic stayed graceful in defeat Sunday after his team’s season came to an end.
Rajakovic’s Raptors hung tough with the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 7 of their first-round series at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. The road dogs led by double digits in the first half and hung tough with the Cavs before Jarrett Allen took control in the second half.
With Jakob Poeltl’s regression in the series, Toronto had no answer for Allen’s size in the paint. The Cavaliers center finished with 22 points, 19 rebounds, 2 steals, and 3 blocks in the 114-102 Cleveland victory.
After the game, Rajakovic was asked what he learned from coaching his first playoff series with the Raptors.
“I learned how much I love this roster, how much I love my players. That’s what I really learned,” Rajakovic told reporters. “Tomorrow, I’m going to be missing coaching those guys. I told them before the game that I want to advance to the next round so I could continue coaching them and being around them.”
“This is a very special group of people, and I’m very grateful and thankful to have those guys around me and to have a chance to work with them.”
“I learned how much I love this roster and these players.” ❤️🏀@Raptors head coach Darko Rajaković reflects on Toronto’s impressive campaign. pic.twitter.com/tMlBOojCKE
— NBA TV (@NBATV) May 4, 2026
The Raptors played without Brandon Ingram in Games 6 and 7, and were also missing Immanuel Quickley due to injury. The fact that Toronto took the series to seven games was a triumph in and of itself for Rajakovic’s undermanned squad.
Rajakovic has been one of the most passionate coaches in the NBA since he first took the reins in Toronto back in 2023. He’s shown some of his fire for the game in the past, with some heated press conference moments under his belt that likely lit a fire under his team. On Sunday, he got a chance to show his appreciation for the players that huddle around him.
The Raptors’ record has improved in each of the three seasons under Rajakovic. The team finished 25-57 in his first year as coach, then had a 5-win improvement the following year. The Raptors jumped to 46-36 this season as one of the biggest surprises of the 2025-26 campaign.
