Date: October 26, 2025
Opponent: Dallas Mavericks
After a hard-fought game that slipped away in the third quarter, Raptors head coach Darko Rajaković spoke with the media about what went wrong defensively, Scottie Barnes’ standout performance, and the continued growth of Sandro Mamukelashvili.
On Defensive Breakdowns
“I think our problem was transition defense. For most of the game they scored 25 points in transition — a lot of those came in the third quarter when we missed layups, open shots, and had a couple of turnovers.
They were coming down at us with force, and we committed a lot of fouls in those situations. We sent them to the free-throw line 39 times — not because we were too aggressive, but because we were on our heels. That was the biggest problem with our defense tonight.”
On Pulling Starters Late
“That group there — those young guys — they often come out and create good momentum. I wanted to give them an opportunity to go out there and try to change the momentum a little bit, and I thought they did a good job.”
On Scottie Barnes’ Breakout Night
“He did a lot of great stuff on both ends. With Jakob in foul trouble, he had to guard Anthony Davis and Lively, and offensively he was cutting, moving, setting screens, and attacking with force.
He shot the ball really well. I thought he was really good tonight.”
On Jakob Poeltl’s Health
“He lost some time in training camp and has been dealing with some lower-back stiffness. He’s trying to manage that and find a rhythm to be on the court.”
On Facing Cooper Flagg
“He’s learning quickly. They were desperate for a win tonight and really competed. Cooper was really good — shot the ball well, took care of it, didn’t turn it over.
He’s impressive with his size and what he can do on the court. He’s a very talented player.”
On Sandro Mamukelashvili’s Impact
“He’s a great player. When we signed him, we knew what he could bring. He’s finding more rhythm with his teammates, played with a lot of force offensively, and connected well in pick-and-rolls.
I thought he was really good on offense and really trying on defense as well.”
Pulse Takeaway
Rajaković’s tone struck a mix of frustration and optimism — aware of the team’s defensive lapses, but encouraged by the growth of Barnes and Mamukelashvili. The Raptors are still ironing out the early-season wrinkles, but their coach’s focus remains clear: transition effort, communication, and consistency.