'Play with joy': What Darko Rajakovic told players at halftime vs. Wizards

Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic discusses the win vs. the Wizards, why Chris Boucher received the postgame chain and Gradey Dick's performance.

Video Transcript

- I guess If you're not gonna make threes, it gives you-- 76 points in the paint's pretty-- pretty impressive. How did-- how were you able to pound the ball in there so effectively all night?

DARKO RAJAKOVIC: We did it better in the second half than-- than first half. I thought that our defense in the second half really gave us a chance. We came up with the deflections and steals and blocked shots at the rim that just opened up the floor and send no opportunity to-- to drive. And then they were trying intentionally to go at certain matchups there on the court and just, like, try to-- to score closer to the basket, you know. Just like you said, the three ball was not going in. We had to adjust and then try something different.

- Pascal has the ability to really take advantage of those matchups that you got. He punished people down there. What-- how is his game evolving in that respect? Do you seize matchups and you get to exploit it, and does it?

DARKO RAJAKOVIC: For sure, and it's also that the team, they needs to recognize those situations, how to get into-- into certain matchups. They were switching one through four for the majority of the game. So that allowed us, actually, to pound the ball inside. After that, when they started to-- to hedge and show more, those were opportunities for us that we took advantage of, Scottie slipping out, rolling to the rim, Precious to rolling to the rim. So I thought that that second half, we did much, much better job on both ends of the floor.

- You talked about, before the game, about protecting the paint and, obviously, in the first quarter especially, that didn't seem to be there. What was your assessment of what was going on, and how did you fix that?

DARKO RAJAKOVIC: We fixed it at half time when I talked to two players, and I told them, I don't expect you to go out there and win the game, but I expect you to go out there and play with joy and play with fun and compete on a much higher level. And we did not do a good enough job in those aspects in the first time. They were getting way too easy to the paint. They were getting wide open looks. I just didn't thought that that was our identity and that's the way how we need to play.

And guys responded, and they did really a great job in the second half. We ended up winning the game tonight, but, to be honest with you, Eric, I prefer not to dig up a hole of 19 points at half time and then to have to work double more and double harder in the second half.

- Did it feel like some of the frustration offensively was impacting the defense in the first half?

DARKO RAJAKOVIC: Oh, but for sure, like, we always, after a game, they're gonna look in those kind of, like, in different aspects. But definitely, like, we did not make shots. They were, you know, sagging off of us. They were inviting us to shoot mid-range shots. And that's a bait, you know, when you see those shots being available there and, like, taking those.

And it's not about making or missing. It's like, we're still missing opportunities to attack the rim and finish at the rim with a higher percentage of shots and getting more to the free-throw line, you know. So I thought that in second half, we did a much, much better job in that aspect. And just like you said, our defense sparked us in the second half, and then everything is easier. It's easier to shoot the ball. It's easier to-- to drive it. All-- all of that is connected.

- While he had a few rookie moments here and there, how important was Gradey tonight, even just as a floor spacer with Gary and OG?

DARKO RAJAKOVIC: He's such a live body out there, the way he moves without the ball, the way he-- he's in, you know, in a place, like, it's really good. At the same time, game is happening in some moments a little bit too fast for him. You know, he had a turnover in the second half after just using one dribble. And that's something that we're really focusing on, trying to, when he's driving the ball, to use second and third dribble to touch the paint to be able to score, but also to-- to kick the ball out. And as the game, it was progressing, he was able to-- to put it together.

There's no other way to learn it than to go through it. And we got to live with some of his mistakes. He's our future, so we got to really invest in him. And we got to have patience with him.

- Darko, what's it say about the character of this team that you're able to overcome that deficit without OG or without Gary?

DARKO RAJAKOVIC: It says a lot about character, but also, like, we can have a talk about character in the first half as well. Right? [LAUGHS] That's always fair to say. But it's not easy to come back from-- from double digits at half time and find a way and energy to win the game. And we just got to learn what it takes to-- to get going from the jump ball, from the-- from the start of the game.

- How important was Chris to the defensive turnaround from this team late in the game?

DARKO RAJAKOVIC: He was outstanding. Like, we talked about, like, when he was getting just the crack in rotation or not playing, like, that guy, he's putting a lot of work in. He is playing in our play groups. He's staying ready. And all of that keeps his mind and body in the right place when his numbers are called, like it was tonight. He was ready to go out there. It's a long season.

Like, all the guys, they're gonna be in rotation, out rotation, starting, not starting. Like, they've got to stay ready. And that's why tonight, the chain went to Chris Boucher.

- Not Pascal? What's Pascal got to do?

DARKO RAJAKOVIC: Ah, you know, there is-- there is something that Pascal got a high praise for from me, and everybody knew what he did tonight. But it's not just, like, who scores the more points. It's the effect on the team. And you asked me the question about Chris Boucher. Now you want to take a chain from him. You know, so chain goes tonight to Chris Boucher.

- Thanks for coming, and thanks for lunch, everyone.