Feb 7, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic gestures to his team during a play against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half at Paycom Center. Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Raptors Coach Sends Pointed Message to Cavaliers

Originally posted on Cleveland Cavaliers on SI
By Evan Massey | Last updated Feb 13, 2025 8:00 AM ET

The Cleveland Cavaliers took care of business once again on Wednesday night, defeating the Toronto Raptors by a final score of 131-108. It's starting to become a fun trend.

All season long, the Cavaliers have been one of the best teams in the league. While the game ended up being a win for Cleveland, it was what happened after the game that has drawn all the eyes.

With just a few seconds left in the game and the Cavaliers obviously heading for a win, Tristan Thompson drove to the hoop and dunked. There is an unwritten rule in basketball against scoring late in the game when the shot clock is off and the game has been decided.

Thompson broke that unwritten rule and showed absolutely no remorse for it.

Here is a video for those who may have missed the play in question:

Tristan Thompson wins it for the Cavs pic.twitter.com/Ve88Gitvie
— Dylan (@dillybar2145__) February 13, 2025

Darko Rajakovic, the Raptors' head coach, spoke out about the incident after the game. He sent a very pointed message to Cleveland and Thompson.

“I think what Tristan did here was no class and disrespectful,” Rajakovic said “We’re not gonna stand for that for sure. I’m really glad that our guys, our players. ... I love when my team stands up for themselves. That was not a class act.”

Truthfully, Thompson should not have done it. He knows better and it is a widely respected unwritten rule across the NBA.

However, Toronto did decide to not defend to the final whistle.

While the drama provided fans with some entertainment, the Cavaliers simply continue winning. They moved to 44-10 on the season with the win.

Next up for Cleveland will be a road matchup against the Brooklyn Nets tonight at 7:30 p.m. EST. Hopefully, another win will be added to the record before the All-Star break.

This article first appeared on Cleveland Cavaliers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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