Toronto Raptors Full Media Availability | Post Game vs Hornets | November 17, 2025

Toronto Raptors Full Media Availability | Post Game vs Hornets | November 17, 2025

Scotty, have you ever had a walk-off block before? And second question, did the review kind of ruin it? No, I don’t. I think we all knew it was over. Uh I don’t know if I had a walk-off block. Probably. I don’t know. I’m just made the right play. Was it just a you know, read and react type play? Nothing much. Uh for sure. Um, no, I kind of was watching uh seeing who was going to get a rebound and it just the ball was bobbled into his hands and at that point uh that was kind of my man. So, I kind of didn’t box out. Uh, so I had to went up and go get a block. On the other end of the floor, having a player like Brandon out there who’s going to draw the attention of the defense, draw a second defender and make be willing to make that pass. How much does that open things up for you guys in in clutch situations? Uh they know how dangerous he is. He’s been killing them all game on the post ups, ISOs. So you got to send help. It was a great cut by RJ at the end of the game. So him making that that extra play right there uh put us in the lead. Um you know, he draws so much attention. He’s so talented. Uh once he gets to the spots, it’s unstoppable. And did you know he could get up like that? Yeah. Uh he got bounced. He got super long arms as well. Um, we’ve been seeing him snag rebounds out the air through traffic this whole season. Um, he could have he he probably could have had more dunks as well today. Like he’s super athletic. You guys haven’t been in a lot of close games all year, but tonight you win one down the stretch with really good execution. What What’s it say about you guys? Uh, we knew they were a really good team. Um, you know, they got a lot of guys that like to drive the ball. Uh, they run a lot of guard to guard screens, a lot of slip outs. Um, we just had to talk, communicate, uh, communicate our switches. Um, but, you know, we we fought this one out. This was a a good win tonight. Der was saying that, uh, this is going to make for a good film session that there’s a lot to learn from, both good and bad. Do you look forward to those film sessions even after a win like tonight? Uh, for sure. We need to know how we can get better from this and keep growing. Uh, every game’s a lesson. um where we can grow uh fix some things. Um you know, we got to hold each other accountable and you know, those are the times when we’re going to hold each other accountable. Scott, you guys are tied for third in the East right now. Um it’s still pretty early in the season, but what does it mean to see your team kind of, you know, right up there in the standings? You know, it’s great that we’re winning games. Um but keep staying humble, keep staying hungry. Um it’s still in the beginning of the season. Um but, you know, we’re really good. We’re really talented. Um, you know, people gonna keep continue to see that. Where do you want to start with your block past RJ? You’re done. What comes to mind? Um, really just just having fun. You know, that was a competitive game. We were going back and forth. Um, you know, Caniple looked real good tonight. Um, on the offensive end, he got some got a professional game. So, we had some we had a battle tonight and uh it came to the end. What’s it feel to win a real close game down the stretch? Executing well at both ends. You haven’t been in that kind of game in a year. You worked on Well, you know, it’s it’s it’s it’s practice for um for our goal in the long run. Um executing in tight situations, trying to figure out what’s the best shot on the floor, but also on the defensive end having each other’s back. So, um, we know that’s going to help us when we, um, get to the playoffs. The instincts that you have in those situations, knowing obviously when the shot is there versus when defense is trapping you, when you make the pass. Is that something over your career that’s come with time, reps, or is that like just instinct and something you’ve always had? It was definitely came come with time. um I wasn’t able to be that patient in in moments like that early in my career um even year before last. And uh just seeing it over and over again um I took a few deep breaths. I knew I had to be patient. I knew they were going to send two and I knew I didn’t want to turn the basketball over. So, um, you know, if they didn’t come, I was going to shoot a turnaround on Colin cuz he too small. And, um, if they sent two, I might have still shot it, but, uh, I was just looking for the open play. And part of it, too, I imagine, is knowing your teammates, right? Like you had to know where RJ was was going to be, where he was cutting. Is that something that you feel like more comfortable with having had all the reps with these guys over the last month or so? Yeah. Well, I noticed um in that first quarter um a couple times when Scotty was in the post while myself was in the post, RJ flashed to the middle of the lane and um I knew where my outlet was going to be and I know R.J. want to score the basketball. So, um he was uh he was definitely in the right place at the right time. You mentioned last year that you wanted to get a fresh start here and that maybe you’ve been overlooked a little bit in the past few years. Uh what has it meant sort of this this start for you so far this year? The energy feels good. Um especially from my teammates, my coaches, uh training staff, um from the fans, the energy feels great and I’m able to come in and um just get better every single game coming off an injury. They’re welcoming me um talking to me every single day about, you know, just getting back to myself and you know, everybody’s just been helping. So, uh, you know, I I feel good when I when I step into practice, when I step into the arena, whatever it is. You had you had a lot of ground to cover to go get runners ball at the at the back court. Did you think you could get there? I knew I was late. I knew I had to do something. Um, I didn’t know he was going to go up so slow, but uh, I knew I just had to make a attempt on the ball. uh whether it was blocking the shot or fouling him, making him go to the free throw line, but I didn’t want him to get anything easy. Dunk, what was that moment like, especially seeing the reaction from your teammates from the bench? It felt good. You you know, I I haven’t been able to jump that high in a while. Um you know, being out since December, just trying to figure out how I can get my legs under me. So, you know, that definitely was um a confidence builder, just getting to the rim and be able to finish over the top. So, you know, hopefully I can continue to do that. What did you think of the reaction on the bench afterwards as you saw it? Yeah. Um, it brought energy. You know, I was I looked over there, everybody was standing up, everybody was yelling, you know, when when when the team is engaged, you stop thinking about plays and just playing off of energy. Are you feeling like dayto day by week lift and legs coming back a little more? Like what was the process of? Um, you know, um, every day is different. Every day is different. Some days I’m I feel real good. Some days I I don’t feel that great, but you know, it’s coming along. It’s I’m It’s only been 13 14 games. So, um, yeah, it’ll soon come. You guys You guys haven’t played a ton of close games all season. How did you guys How did you feel you managed the last three or four minutes there? You You’re really my man. We were like last five minutes of game. I was like this is good for us, you know. This is good for us. Um this is going to be a very good film for us to to watch and I thought that we did some extraordinary things there down the stretch. We did it, you know, rim protection, blocking shots, coming up with some very important rebounds. Uh and also there’s going to be good film for us to learn how we can close the game, how to to better execute there. What kind of a luxury is it to have a player like Brandon in those clutch situations? somebody that isn’t just able to make the shot, but is willing and able to make the pass, the right play like he did there at Arch. And he’s with us for a reason. We we love the guy. We love his game. And uh you know, I I think he’s continuously improving with us. I think that defensively he was really good today as well. Uh with his ball pressure and and hand activity and protecting the rim. Um I think that he did really good job today. be block shots in the last quarter there from from the weak side that you you kind of you teach your guys to cheat into that room to rip those. Well, those all those reads there at the end of the game that’s that’s players and you know that that’s them reading the game and making making right calls there. We know what is our priority and that’s that’s rim protection and uh from there we got to we got to you know figure out the rest of rotations and how to guard the three-point line. Um, with that being said, I I thought that couple of situations we overheld and there was an open shot that we had to do better job of of covering for each other, but all of those end of the game situations there, it was like BI and Scotty. That’s just like high high level instincts and basketball IQ. LaMelo scored a few on Jamal, but I thought Ched really made him work for it. We we’ve seen this in the past with guys like Kyle Lowry or Fred Vanble where a player that has a size advantage thinks they have a mismatch. But what is it about a defender like Jamal that despite getting up size in matchups like that can really hold his own against bigger players? What do you want to say that you’re here for a long time? Um and um what what Jamal does really good job there? Obviously his his ball pressure is elite and how he’s staying in front of the people doesn’t matter the size and who is he guarding but also I thought that he did really good job uh with hands you know the game was such that we had to adjust as the game was going on regarding what calls are being what what contact situations were called as fouls and what not u and I think that that he adjusted in the second half really well in in those situations there as well so it’s great to have a player who brings that kind of energy and focus and who really doesn’t care if he’s going to score or not. He only cares about team winning and doing right things uh right things for the team. How did you view the Scotty block at the buzzer? Uh I was really excited but uh I did not show any emotions at the moment. I was thinking was there any um uh time left and what what we need to do there to get organized um you know trying to stay calm but it was high level play. with uh Yak looking healthier and with quicks free threes falling, does it feel like that starting unit is kind of reaching the two-way balance you thought they could reach this year? I mean, that’s that’s definitely the goal to have a good balance and I’m I’m continuing to talk to guys and challenge guys to to do it on both ways both ends of the floor because they’re capable of doing so. Um you know, we’re learning how to win. We’re learning each other. We’re learning how how to close those games, how to play all of those games. There is a lot of for us to learn. Our film sessions are, you know, pretty heavy at the start of the season over here. And what I’m really liking about this team is all the stuff that we talk about and and address, we see the progress there. the Ingram dunk. I mean, obviously a cool highlight and a really impressive play, but for a coach, is that like an encouraging thing for a player coming off of what he went through last year to kind of be reassured that like, yeah, the the lift is there, the bounce is there? It’s it’s getting it’s not still there to to 100%, but it’s it’s it’s coming back and when he has that type of pop and when he’s playing above the rim, he’s a scary player, you know, for for all the opponents. So, these guys that have been here for a few years with you, uh, what do you think it means for them to kind of be on a bit of a bit of a winning streak here? I think it’s it’s very cool to see the growth of the team. Um, guys that, you know, they’re playing more like Yak and Scotty, like they’re really on it. They’re really enjoying this moment. But also the guys that are, you know, younger guys, it’s good for them to to see what it takes to win, you know. And some of the younger guys, they might be in a different role or a smaller role smaller role. and less minutes. But I’m really proud of how they’re embracing it and how they’re finding ways to help the team there on the court. The uh coach, the free throw disparity, is it more about what the other team is doing or is it more about what you can do to get better goals when you’re out there? Talking about game tonight? Yeah. You want me to get fined? No, no, no comments regarding referees and free throw disparity. What do you tell your players in order to like encourage them to get, you know, better goals? I mean there is no such a thing encouraging them to get better calls. It’s adjusting to the game. Every crew is is going to be different. You’re playing different teams with different level of physicality. Some players are looking more to for those throwing their head back and you know trying to get those foul foul calls. It’s all about knowing who you playing against and how to adjust to to the referee’s crew every single night. I think that’s that’s a big uh big part of learning how to win this league. that drive that Ingram made when he started with his left hand, moved to the right, stuffed it and the whole bench exploded at that moment. What What did that feel like on the bench seeing the way players were reacting to to Red? Right. I mean, um Brendan is is very cool teammate. His players his teammates, they they really love him. Uh he did great job uh getting incorporated in our team. Even last year when he was not playing, he’s invested in our guys. He’s invested in this team, uh, you know, he likes to be around them. He he likes to get to know them and, you know, when somebody’s just good human being and he does well, obvious obviously you’re going to cheer for him and support him. So that was the natural reaction for from our bench. How much of how important it is and how much of an example does it set that your two more important players or the two best players close the game on two defensive plays? It’s a it’s very important, you know, it’s uh it’s a luxury that we have that we can, you know, plug in those players in in different spots and for them to respond in the best possible way to to find a way to win the game. How much fun are you having right now? A lot of fun.

Head Coach and players speak with the media following the Raptors’ 110-108 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Monday.

00:00 – Scottie Barnes
02:55 – Brandon Ingram
07:34 – Darko Rajakovic
#raptors #TorontoRaptors.