On Thursday, Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajkovic had 155 reasons to be upset.
If you include the official no-call when Scottie Barnes attempted a driving layup in the fourth quarter, it would be 156.
On the night the Memphis Grizzlies set a franchise record for points scored in a game, it was Rajkovic's profanity and ejection that drew the loudest cheers from the crowd at FedEx Forum.
With the Grizzlies leading 127-103, the Raptors head coach lost his cool and began yelling at veteran umpire JT Orr.
Rajakovic called a timeout and stormed onto the court. “Call a foul! Call a foul,” he appeared to yell at the referee in the video of the escape. Posted by ClutchPoints on X.
On the play before that, Barnes was driving toward the hoop through contact, but no foul was called.
The fourth-year Raptor missed a layup attempt and Chris Boucher missed a tip-in.
Memphis' Jaren Jackson Jr. immediately grabbed the rebound, the Grizzlies attacked downcourt, and Scottie Pippen Jr. laid the ball up to extend the lead to 24 points, leading to a Rajkovic timeout and subsequent assault. Ta.
Radjaković, who did not always portray himself as the referee's best friend, had to be kept in check by both assistants and players.
Orr, now in his 16th year, seemed unfazed. The referee calmly motioned the coach out of the game with a wave of his index finger.
The Raptors continued to score points while their head coach was locked in the locker room to cool down. By the end of the game, the Grizzlies had 155 and the Raptors had 126.
Memphis had all five starters, plus three players off the bench, score in double figures. Zach Eady and Jaren Jackson Jr. led the Crusaders with 21 each.
Thursday's loss was Toronto's ninth in a row, and Radjakovic's team falls to 7-24 on the season. The only teams with lower winning percentages are the Washington Wizards and New Orleans Pelicans.
So far in 2024, former Knickerbocker RJ Barrett leads the Raptors in points (23.7) and assists (6.3) per game. New York alumnus and Toronto teammate Immanuel Quickley was limited to just three games due to an elbow injury.
The Raptors' rotten season continues Sunday against the Hawks.
