The Raptors’ second straight loss Sunday night did more than leave them at 3-3. It put Darko Rajakovic right in the middle of the kind of stretch that can define a season - and maybe his Coach of the Year case.
Toronto fell 131-125 to the Los Angeles Lakers, undone by a huge night from Luka Doncic, who poured in 45 points and scored 24 in the first half alone. For much of the game, the Raptors were simply chasing answers whenever he was on the floor. Rajakovic was the one doing the searching, and the next few weeks may be the most important coaching stretch he gets all year.
At the start of the season, Rajakovic looked like a strong candidate to build a real case for the award. The pieces were there, at least on paper: the arrival of Kawhi Leonard, the uncertainty that came with it, a roster around Barnes and Leonard that didn’t fit together especially cleanly, and a team that was only a year removed from a surprise playoff run in the East. If he could solve those issues and keep Toronto near the top of the conference, he could have become the fourth coach in franchise history to win the honor.
That path is still open. It just looks different now.
Leonard’s injury has changed the equation completely. Instead of the early months being about sorting out a new roster and building toward the playoffs, Toronto has been forced to adjust on the fly after Leonard played just four total games between the regular season and preseason. The team was already starting a road trip when that curveball hit, and the result has been a rough readjustment.
The biggest issue has been the offense. Toronto has gone 1-3 without Leonard and has dropped two in a row, with the half-court attack looking especially shaky.
Against the Lakers, that problem was impossible to miss. The Raptors could score in the open floor at times, but when the game slowed down, they struggled to generate consistent offense.
There’s still no clear timetable for Leonard’s return, though an update is expected Tuesday. That makes the next 10 games even more significant.
Toronto is set to face the Clippers, Nuggets, Bucks, Grizzlies, Celtics, 76ers, Knicks twice, Wizards, and Pistons. Leonard could be back by the fifth game of that stretch.
He also might not be.
If he stays out, the Raptors will have to survive a brutal run without him. If they start winning anyway, Rajakovic’s profile will rise fast, especially with national observers already inclined to write this team off while Leonard is sidelined. His ability to keep players engaged, place them in the right roles, and squeeze more production out of the roster will matter just as much as any tactical adjustment.
Sunday offered at least one encouraging sign. Toronto kept fighting in the fourth quarter and tried to claw back into the game against the Lakers.
That effort is part of the equation. The next step is more demanding: finding answers in the half-court and making this team function without its star.
That’s the kind of adversity that can shape a Coach of the Year campaign. For Rajakovic, this stretch could end up being exactly that.
In Other News...
Gradey Dick Is Still Feeling The Raptors Trade Reality
Gradey Dick is still getting used to the strange rhythm of seeing the Raptors on the other side of the floor. In his second game against Toronto since being traded to the Los Angeles Clippers, Dick handled the matchup like a player who knows the business side of the league but still feels the personal side of it, talking afterward about adjusting to the change while keeping things cordial with his former teammates. He also had a solid night on the court, finishing with 12 points in 28 minutes.
The matchup carried a little extra weight because Brandon Ingram, another piece of the trade, was on the Clippers bench while recovering from injury. For Toronto fans, it was another reminder that the deal is still unfolding in real time, with former faces now scattered and the emotional residue of the move lingering even as both sides move on. Dick may be settling into his new uniform, but the first few meetings with his old team have made clear this one is going to take some getting used to. [Read more 🡒]
Raptors And Cavs Are Headed For A Pressure-Test Debate
The Raptors recent stretch has only sharpened the old reminder of how much Kawhi Leonard once steadied the group in big moments, and it has also made for an interesting comparison with Cleveland. Both teams can look polished when things are going their way, but the conversation around them has shifted toward how they respond when the game gets messy, when a lead starts to shrink and the pressure rises.
For Toronto, that lens matters because the franchise has lived through the difference between regular-season competence and playoff readiness. Cleveland is dealing with its own version of that test, with questions about blown leads, toughness and whether Evan Mobleys growth can help anchor a team that still has to prove it can absorb adversity. The Cavaliers may keep stacking wins over the long haul, but the real debate is whether they can survive the kind of heat the postseason tends to bring. [Read more 🡒]
Raptors Road Comeback Solved One Problem But Exposed Another
The Raptors win over the Clippers offered a useful snapshot of where this group is right now: resilient enough to rally from a double-digit hole in the fourth quarter, but still uneven enough to put itself in that position in the first place. Toronto finished off a 125-118 road victory without Kawhi Leonard and Jakob Poeltl, leaning on Collin Murray-Boyles in a small-ball role at center and getting key defensive work from Scottie Barnes when the game tightened.
Still, the comeback did not erase the issue that created the pressure to begin with. Toronto has made it clear it wants cleaner starts in the games ahead, and that concern will be tested quickly with Denver next on the schedule. The Raptors can take plenty from the way they closed against the Clippers, but they also know they cannot keep asking for late-game rescue acts and expect the same result every night. [Read more 🡒]