An electric start to the 2025-26 NBA season has fallen by the wayside for the Toronto Raptors. After it seemed like the new-look roster had figured out the key to playing alongside each other, their recent losing streak has presented a wildly different picture.
After starting the season 15-7 and standing near the top of the Eastern Conference, four consecutive losses have dropped them back in the standings. Unfortunately, head coach Darko Rajaković isn’t willing to let their dip slide. Following his critique after their previous loss, he tried a different approach this time around.
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Raptors Should Learn From Their Loss, Says Darko Rajaković
Toronto was seeing eye to eye with the Detroit Pistons for the one-seed in the East, with the New York Knicks, Miami Heat, and the Chicago Bulls right behind them. However, as the Bulls and the Heat have completely fallen apart, New York has found its groove once again.
Unfortunately, the Raptors fall on the former side of the equation with four consecutive losses, dropping them to fifth in the conference. After their loss to the Boston Celtics, the third of this four-game skid, Rajaković demanded urgency from his squad.
“I’m demanding more urgency from the whole team. I’m demanding more scrappiness because when we do that, like we did in the 2nd half, we’re a completely different team & we can compete with anybody.”
This time around, though, his focus was different, as he believed there was a lot that a young squad like the Raptors could learn from the 117-101 defeat to the Knicks in the NBA Cup quarterfinals. Speaking to reporters after the game, he explained his insight.
“I think in preparation for the game, knowing what the stakes were, I thought guys did a good job of getting motivated. But motivation itself is not enough to win games like this. We need to be disciplined, to execute the game plan.”
An assistant head coach with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Phoenix Suns, and the Memphis Grizzlies from 2014 onwards, he assumed the head coaching job for the Raptors in 2023. It took him a couple of seasons to get the right pieces for his vision, but the start of the season has shown his ability to get the best out of his players.
Now, it’s going to be interesting to see if he can help Toronto bounce back from its recent fall and regroup to make another run back to the top of the standings in the East.