By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
In the wake of a challenging postseason opener at Rocket Arena, Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic offered a blunt assessment of his team’s performance following their loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The 47-year-old Serbian tactician, who made NBA history as the first head coach born and raised in Europe to lead a team into the Playoffs, emphasized that fundamental errors cost his squad the game.
“Our biggest problem was the 17 turnovers. We did not do a good job taking care of the ball. We had a lot of situations where we were careless with the ball. We got to a much better job of controlling that part,” the Cacak native opened during his postgame press conference for Game 1 of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs, presented by Google.
Rajakovic further highlighted the discrepancy in physical play and awareness that allowed Cleveland to dictate the tempo on Saturday. “They got seven offensive rebounds. So, they won that possession battle. That was something we got to do much better with. And definitely transition. I thought we did a very poor job,” he added. Addressing the defensive lapses, he noted, “If you allow our opponent to score 126 points, that’s going to be hard for us to beat.”
The Raptors‘ international roster saw mixed results in the effort. Austrian starting center Jakob Poeltl contributed four points, six rebounds, two blocks, two assists, and one steal in 21 minutes of play. Coming off the bench, Georgian forward Sandro Mamukelashvili provided energy with three points, eight rebounds, two assists, and a steal in 20 minutes. On the opposing side, German guard Dennis Schroder recorded two points, two assists, and a rebound in 13 minutes of relief, with Dutch forward Tristan Enaruna and French center Olivier Sarr inactive.
As the series remains in Cleveland for Game 2 on Monday, Rajakovic signaled that he is considering tactical adjustments to even the set. Regarding possible lineup changes, the head coach stated, “Every scenario is on the table.”
NBA Playoffs 2026
Eastern Conference
Quarterfinals (best-of-seven)
1. Detroit Pistons – Orlando Magic
2. Cleveland Cavaliers – Toronto Raptors 1-0 (126-113)
3. New York Knicks – Atlanta Hawks 1-0 (113-102)
4. Boston Celtics – Philadelphia 76ers
Semifinals (best-of-seven)
5. Winners 1-2
6. Winners 3-4
Finals (best-of-seven)
Winners of Semifinals
Western Conference
Quarterfinals (best-of-seven)
1. Oklahoma City Thunder – Phoenix Suns
2. Los Angeles Lakers – Houston Rockets
3. Denver Nuggets – Minnesota Timberwolves 1-0 (126-115)
4. San Antonio Spurs – Portland Trail Blazers
Semifinals (best-of-seven)
5. Winners 1-2
6. Winners 3-4
Finals (best-of-seven)
Winners of Semifinals
NBA Finals 2026 (best-of-seven)
Eastern Conference and Western Conference champions