Toronto Raptors Media Availability | Postgame at Phoenix Suns | March 7, 2024

Toronto Raptors Media Availability | Postgame at Phoenix Suns | March 7, 2024

Happy with the defensive effort after that first quarter and uh particularly the third when you I think held them to 42% and forc a number of turnovers that’s got to be the competitiveness you’re looking for right um I I thought that uh we head outside of that that

First quarter just like you said I thought that we did a lot lot of good stuff uh our Focus level in that first quarter was not where it needs to be because uh we wanted to guard uh uh Grace Allen differently uh we saw that

He was 6 for6 and 8 for8 shooting uh in the in that game against uh uh against OKC and we knew that he’s great shooter so after that we were able to find uh find the Rhythm and and uh to do much better job defensively um you know we talked before

The game Kevin Durant like you’re making it really hard for him and he’s still you know finds the way to score but overall I I thought that our defensive effort was was was good uh I in in the first half we struggled with their offensive rebounding Second Chance

Points in the second half he kept them to only uh three Second Chance points uh so um lot of good stuff and uh we still need to continue getting better is it is it especially in that first quarter was it you guys seem to be overh helping off

Of and leaving Grayson so too much attention to Bradley too much attention to KD and so attention was really on on KD and his post UPS trying to to get the ball out of his hands but uh we were late on our rotations we were we we had

A clear plan how we want to close out to Grays and Allen uh we just didn’t follow follow through with those so it’s going to be good good for us to take a look at at the film and and learn from it what uh did you take away from uh iq’s career

High um as a r career High’s 17 assists um somebody just whispered to my ear uh that it’s 18 at the end uh so 18 uh so so um with 18 assists he had nine in the first half uh nine in the second half um I just kept telling him continue making

Right reads and as the game progressed he was able to be to find that balance to be aggressive and to score out of pick rolls but also to find his teammates uh I think he played unselfishly he played the right way on offense and proud of his his growth he

Also had nine uh nine uh uh rebounds so almost triple double what into you uh locking in a little bit in into the second half because I know uh coach Delaney talked about urgency um how were you guys able to respond and like even take it up a level effort wise uh I

Thought they especially in the second half start of the third quarter our aggressiveness and active hands we were able to get a couple of stops and Steals and they just fueled our offense allowed us to to run and and to score early in in possession as game progressed we we

Found couple of plays uh that we were able to put RJ on the ball as a playmaker and to use uh Gary and IQ a little bit of the ball and just to space the floor and uh we were able to to find uh find some some good offense through

That as well he um you went to Chris early and stayed with him for probably his longest stretch in a long time what went into that and what what did he do to stay on the floor um I uh I just uh praise him uh in front of hold team uh

He’s putting lot of work in he’s uh staying ready he’s staying professional so uh his opportunity showed up tonight uh he had those uh more continuous minutes he was able to find some Rhythm there he was able to to help us on the floor and but still I expect more from

Him more rebounding and uh more uh communication on defense as a veteran player he needs to be able to provide us that on defensive end that that he knows what we’re in and what how we need to execute so we need more even more discipline from him but overall I

Thought that he did a good job tonight in this stretch when he hasn’t played much his like you look at his productivity over the year you know it’s generally positive it’s he’s got pretty good net ratings and these kinds of things what was it that kind of kept him

Out of the rotation in your mind um just the the state of our team and uh trying to give opportunities and looks at at the different players you know when Yak is playing uh starting five uh since we got Kelly he’s a backup five and I believe that uh the best position for

For CB is being that fivan roller rebounder slasher that he can be in that role so uh but um you know we’re going to continue counting on all the players that we have on the roster continue investing in all of them uh and um you

Know as I said proud of his uh effort tonight and you know we still need to get more there’s one minute there in the first half you you were talking about the sideline you kind of slapped hands what do you remember what that was about or what the with who with Chris with

Chris I yeah I mean we always talk about I don’t know what was that about but just like you know some exchange like offensively defensively what we need to do I’m trying really to coach guys on the fly a lot is that something technical or tactical whatever it might

Be if I see something I I like to address it right away with guys thank you you know outside that first quarter when kind of you guys lost track of Grayson Allen it seemed like um pretty competitive overall effort from from the group and what do you think

That came that stemm from I mean we down 19 and and we’re able to get it to within three more than once yeah we just got a a lot of competitors in this group no matter who’s out uh we got guys that just step up uh and find a way uh to try

To get the job done we didn’t get it we didn’t finish it all the way through tonight but um proud of the way the guys uh didn’t quit you know um sometimes especially NBA games when you got so many games and they just keep coming it’s easy to just kind of give up

Sometimes but we didn’t do that and we kept fighting so I’m I’m proud of the guys the way they did that I mean you’re there’s been a lot of talk about your point guard play and the you know gr into that decision-making role and balancing aggressiveness with

Distribution but you know I think it was 18 assists to go with your 21 points tonight you got to feel like you’re seems like you’re finding that balance anyway um I think just really just being aggressive first I was just trying to attack and the defense was just

Collapsing so just trying to uh play winning basketball find open guys and uh got great teammates great Shooters around me that just make a lot of shots so it makes it really easy um yeah so next plan is about 20 assists is that the goal get a win that’s the next

Plan when you guys made the run in the third quarter got to then three what enabled you guys to do that then what working uh I think the attention of detail on the defensive end was big uh our aggressiveness our activity uh we got a lot of steals in that third

Quarter fourth quarter uh early fourth um but I think just the attention of the detail and the activity on defense was was fueling Us in transition and getting us out to the open floor which was helping us a lot where we’re best at um just in terms of how you guys set

The tone for the road trip um how do games like these prepare you um for the next three especially against tough teams uh just understanding who the Suns have I mean they got a lot of great scores on their team starts with KD and and Bill

They didn’t have book but a lot of great scores that you know you you going to have to face uh pretty much on a nightly basis but especially in this West Coast trip uh you know uh I feel like we did a pretty good job uh obviously Grayson

Allen got off but uh the attention to detail you got to have the togetherness on defense that you got to have to win games on the road is is not easy so uh we didn’t win but uh like I said I’m proud of the way we fought to try to get

Back um in this game it’s all right and then just Scotty seemed very animate today um what was he saying in the huddles uh Scotty is just being Scotty uh encouraging guys talking um he’s uh not afraid of voice his opinion at all which is what we need whether he’s

Playing or not U and uh we going to need that as we keep going since you’ve been here uh Chris bu has been kind of in and out of the rotation Maybe more out than in he was I thought pretty effective tonight and and what what as a point

Guard what was the benefit of having him um just the energy he plays with uh 610 611 can he’s a lob threat uh can guard one through five so he’s a talented basketball player um whatever he does on the floor aside from that just him being him is he’s a talented basketball player

So and then that you put energy and effort in a motor on top of his all the physical tools that that he has that makes a special player so um really proud of the way he uh he played today as well and that’s not easy being in

Lineup and then rolling in it’s not it’s not but it just speaks of how true professional that’s what true professionals do um uh when your name is called upon you ready to go and he did that for us appreciate that thanks for watching the Toronto rappers YouTube

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Head Coach Darko Rajakovic and Immanuel Quickley speak with the media following the Raptors 120-113 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Thursday. #Raptors #TorontoRaptors