The Toronto Raptors defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers in a tight contest on Sunday afternoon. Leading the way for the Raptors were Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes. Both delivered 23-point performances in what was a 93-89 victory for Darko Rajakovic and the Raptors.
This was the first game in which both teams failed to reach 100 points. It is also the fourth time in NBA history that a team won a playoff game shooting 32 percent or worse from the field.
Following this game, they are now tied 2-2, with this series turning into a best-of-three. These two teams will battle each other again on Wednesday night in Cleveland.
Darko Rajakovic on Scottie Barnes
Rajakovic spoke about a variety of topics following the Raptors series-tying victory. In particular, he put the entire NBA on notice when it comes to Barnes, the kind of player he is, and the kind of player that he will be.
“No,” Rajakovic bluntly shared. “I expect more from Scottie. Scottie’s gonna bring more. Scottie right now, the way he’s playing, he’s at 60 percent of the player that he’s gonna be in two, three years.”
“Scottie is gonna be one of the best players in the league, and he’s already one of the best players in the league.”
Rajakovic then shared what it is about Barnes that makes him a special player.
“How much he cares about winning, it’s pushing him to do whatever it takes to win a game,” he continued. “And that’s what makes him so special. I expect him to continue to get better.”
Scottie Barnes Impact Off the Court
Following high praise from his coach, Rajakovic shared the impact Barnes has on his teammates off the court.
“Scotty is (an) amazing friend,” Rajakovic said. “Amazing father, amazing son, amazing teammate, amazing human being. I think the biggest thing about him is his heart.”
“How much he cares about other people, how much he cares about his teammates, how much he cares about this organization, and it’s my absolute privilege to work with a human being like Scotty Barnes.”
In addition, Barnes’ teammate, Ingram, shared some words directly after their victory over Cleveland.
“He’s a killer,” Ingram said in a TSN video clip. “Defensively and offensively, he’s leading our team right now, and we need every bit of it.”
Ingram recorded six rebounds and two blocks in addition to his 23 points on the night.
Scottie Barnes Steering the Raptors’ Ship
Barnes is the offensive straw that is stirring the Raptors’ drink. So far in this series against the Cavs, he has recorded 21, 26, 33, and 23 points, respectively. Barnes has a combined 103 points from the four games, the third most of any player during these 2026 playoffs.
Not only is he scoring points, but he also has the most assists on his team. Barnes is tied for second in the league with 29 assists.
This is exactly the kind of performance that the Raptors need to propel themselves through the first round of the playoffs. If Barnes continues to perform at this level, the Raptors could do some major damage during their 2026 playoff run.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Darko Rajakovic Puts the NBA on Notice With Scottie Barnes Message appeared first on Heavy Sports.