Raptors' Darko Rajakovic issues RJ Barrett demand after loss vs. Lakers
The Toronto Raptors' rally fell short last night in a 131-125 home loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, but there were some positives to take away from the team's fifth loss of the season, including a double-double by RJ Barrett , which a step in the right direction according to Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic .
After trailing by as many as 26 points, Barrett and second-year player Gradey Dick led the team back to within a few possessions in the narrow loss. Barrett, in particular, had one of the best games of his career, as he recorded a season-high 33 points and career-high 12 assists. Barrett, the third-overall draft pick in 2019, had never reached double-digit assists in his six seasons in the NBA.
Following the loss, Rajakovic said he wants Barrett to continue to focus on utilizing his playmaking ability.
"First of all, I think that RJ's very capable; I think he needs to do even more," Rajakovic said. "He needs to play-make for our team and create offense for our team. And we need more from him on the defensive end as well. I'm talking to RJ every day, I'm a big RJ believer, I believe in him, and I'm every single day calling him for more. And he tonight did a really good job moving the ball."
Raptors' RJ Barrett off to hot start to the 2024-25 NBA season
Although we are still very, very early in the season, it appears as though Barrett has approached his first full season with the Raptors differently. Traded midseason by the New York Knicks to his hometown Raptors, Barrett increased his coring output and efficiency after the trade last season, and a few games into this season, his numbers have increased again.
In his 32 games as a Raptor last season, Barrett averaged 21.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 4.1 assists on shooting splits of .553 FG / .392 3P / .629 FT. Three games into this season — Barrett missed the first three games of the year due to a shoulder injury — he is averaging 28.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 7.7 assists on shooting splits of .541 FG / .529 3P / .643 FT.
Of course, his three-point shooting is unsustainable, but even with a regression to the mean — Barrett is a career 35% three-point shooter — he is setting himself up nicely for a strong season.
A college teammate of No. 1 overall pick Zion Williamson, Barrett was drafted by the Knicks in 2019 with the hope he would become the superstar New York had been waiting for. However, Barrett never rose to All-Star or All-NBA status despite averaging 18 points per game as the team rebuilt.
