Darko Rajakovic shared a sentimental statement about his thoughts on the Toronto Raptors’ 2025-26 season following their playoff loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday night.
Rajakovic completed his third season as a head coach in the NBA. He showcased solid growth as he helped Toronto improve over time. Going from 25 wins his first year to 30 wins in Year 2 then 46 wins in his third season, he showed that he can help a squad grow in positive ways.
Rajakovic led them to the playoffs for the first time since 2022 and got them to force the Cavaliers to seven games in the first round. Despite the series loss, the head coach was proud to have coached this group of players throughout the entire campaign.
“I learned how much I love this roster, how much I love my players… This is a very special group of people,” Rajakovic said after the Game 7 loss.
“I learned how much I love this roster, how much I love my players… This is a very special group of people.”
Darko Rajakovic shares the most important lesson he took away from this season’s playoffs
(via @ESPNNBA)pic.twitter.com/LZmq5y4io2
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 4, 2026
How Darko Rajakovic, Raptors performed against Cavaliers
Darko Rajakovic has every right to be proud of the Raptors for getting as far as they could this season. However, the Cavaliers stopped them from getting farther with the Game 7 loss in the first round.
Toronto traded blows with Cleveland as both sides were even at 49 points apiece at halftime. However, the Cavaliers ignited with a 38-19 display in the third quarter. This proved to be the fatal blow for Toronto as they never recovered from it for the remainder of the night.
Four players scored in double-digits for Toronto in the loss. Scottie Barnes led the team with 24 points, nine rebounds, six assists, and a block. He shot 8-of-14 from the field, including 1-of-1 from beyond the arc, and 7-of-7 from the free-throw line. RJ Barrett came next with 23 points and six assists, Jamal Shead had 14 points and seven assists, while Ja’Kobe Walter provided 13 points and three steals.
The Raptors will enter the offseason with plenty of optimism. They will regroup for next season as they retool the roster and continue to let the younger players grow into bigger roles for the 2026-27 campaign.
The post Darko Rajakovic’s heartfelt response to Raptors’ playoff run appeared first on ClutchPoints.
Read MoreClutchPoints
