Head coach Darko Rajakovic of the Toronto Raptors. Photo: Dylan Buell
Toronto coach Darko Rajaković unleashed a vehement critique against the officiating following the Los Angeles Lakers' narrow 132-131 victory over the Raptors on Tuesday night.
Rajaković, in his first year as head coach, expressed his outrage at the game's glaring free throw disparity, particularly in the fourth quarter when the Lakers attempted 23 free throws compared to the Raptors' two.
Rajaković's frustration heightened as LA's Anthony Davis, scoring 20 of his 41 points in the final quarter, went a perfect 11 for 11 at the free-throw line during that period. In total, Davis took 14 of the Lakers' 36 free throws in the game, while the entire Toronto team managed only 13 attempts.
He didn't mince his words, denouncing the situation as "outrageous" and pounded the table, expressing his disappointment in the referees and the league as a whole for allowing such a significant free throw imbalance during the most crucial period of the game.
Did Rajaković have a point?
The difference in calls was even more noticeable in a game where the Lakers' Anthony Davis displayed his domination with 11 rebounds and a 13-for-17 performance from the free throw line.
With a brilliant effort that included eight free throws, a critical block, 10 vital points in the last minute, Davis effectively clinched the victory.
Sport and the perception of unfair treatment go hand in hand.
A wayward LBW call from the umpire in the cricket, an unnoticed forward pass, a "missed" high tackle committed against the Warriors - we've seen it all before.
We don't have to look far in our own backyard to find some classic examples of behaviour like Rajaković:
Geoff Toovey (NRL 2014)
Toovey's impassioned post-match outburst following a loss to the Rabbitohs stands out as a memorable moment, and a refreshing departure from an era dominated by clichés rather than genuine expressions of opinion.
The catalyst for Toovey's scorching hot tirade towards the officials was the contentious refereeing decisions in the 22-10 result, particularly an absolute shocker of a ruling by one of the Warriors fans former favourite referees Henry Perenara.
It regarded Steve Matai's alleged failure to ground the ball in what was revealed to be an obvious try when shown in the replays. It was enough to make Toovey explode:
He emphasised the need for accountability, questioning the penalty count and the competence of the referees.
Toovey faced a $10,000 fine from the NRL for his outspoken comments, as well as becoming a long-standing meme.
Eddie Jones (Wallabies 2023)
Jones had a fiery clash with the media, expressing a confrontational stance at Sydney Airport ahead of their departure for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.
In a defensive mood, he criticised the press conference as the "worst" he has experienced in world rugby, expressing displeasure with questions about his squad and lauding the negativity from the media.
Eddie Jones had claimed that Quade Cooper, who was left out of the Wallabies, is not responding to his calls, and he refuted the suggestion that former captain Michael Hooper had to contact team management to confirm his place in Australia's World Cup squad last week.
It was a sign of things to come for former World Champions Australia at the 2023 World Cup who literally hit rock bottom exiting at the end of the pool stages of the tournament.
Chase Buford (NBL 2023)
The infamously outspoken coach of the Sydney Kings incurred a $3,500 fine from the NBL last March. Buford, known for his serial offending, had gestured towards the officials on the court and continued his criticism in the media conference.
Among his assertions, he claimed that Breakers owner Matt Walsh had influenced the officiating of the game and reiterated an earlier-season claim that the Breakers engaged in unchecked physical play that crossed the line.
"I'm proud of the guys. It's always tough to go out there and compete against eight," alluding to the perceived bias of the three referees towards the home team.
Prior to the post-game media conference, inappropriate comments from the Kings coach were reportedly overheard being made to Breakers club officials.
In the semifinal series against the Cairns Taipans, Buford was ejected in the late stages of game two for a profanity-laden outburst at the referees regarding a flop warning.
In the previous season, Buford incurred a $10,000 fine and a suspended one-match ban for implying that an NBL referee exhibited bias against his team.
Just to be safe, in game two of the grand final series against the JackJumpers, he copped another fine for kicking LED advertising signage panel.
-RNZ
