ON THE RECORD: What was said after Raptors' loss to Bucks

Article content

Quotes from a forgetful Wednesday night for the Raptors as they fell 128-112 to Milwaukee at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto and a memorable one for a guy named Damian Lillard:

Article content

DARKO RAJAKOVIC ON THE RAPTORS POOR START AND POROUS DEFENCE

Article content

“We did not have any pop to start the game. I don’t know the reasons but we just didn’t bring it. A lot of times I felt that it was poor communication in execution of the coverage. We allowed Damian Lillard to have an amazing game, have an amazing first half. He just picked us apart and we tried multiple coverages, it just did not work tonight for us. And I thought that everything started with energy and force that we did not bring to start the game.”

RAJAKOVIC ON THE DECISION TO START THE SECOND HALF WITH PRECIOUS ACHIUWA OVER STARTER JAKOB POELTL

“For me that’s that’s normal thing. We’re going to try different things, you know, we’re going to try different coverages. I thought that Precious, his switching in the first half was pretty solid. So we just wanted to give it a look to go to that early in the third quarter.”

Article content

Article content

JAKOB POELTL ON THE RAPTORS INABILITY TO CONTAIN LILLARD

“He is an incredible player, but I think we were a little slow to react. Personally, I was slow to react to what he was trying to do out there. He was coming off pick and rolls and he was getting to the rim. He was getting fouled a lot. I feel like that is really how he caught his rhythm and then I think towards the end of the first half that’s when he really started knocking down some crazy threes. But before that he was really punishing us, getting by people, getting to the rim, getting layups and I have to do a better job of reacting to that, and being able to read that and maybe cover some ground there.”

POELTL ON WHY HE THINKS STARTS HAVE BEEN SO FLAT FOR RAPTORS OF LATE

“I don’t know, to be honest, what the reason is. The fact of the matter is that we’re not coming out ready to play and I don’t know if it’s a lack of energy or lack of preparation, I don’t know. Just have to find a way to do better, it’s as simple as that.”

Article content

SCOTTIE BARNES ON RAPS INABILITY TO SLOW LILLARD DOWN

“He was getting downhill and getting to the free-throw line a lot. We didn’t really do that much, if you ask me that. He was just being able to get downhill, getting layups. Trying to take away his 3-pointers. Try to make an adjustment, try to blitz him and get it out of his hands. And he was just getting to the line, making reads, getting assists. He was just doing a lot out there today. Tried to contain as best as we could. but once he gets going, it’s kind of hard to stop.”

DAME LILLARD ON HIS NIGHT THAT ENDED WITH 37 POINTS AND 13 ASSISTS

“The situation was right for it. With Giannis not playing I knew I would have more responsibility, I knew I would have to be more aggressive and kind of assert myself from a playmaking and scoring standpoint.

BROOK LOPEZ ON LILLARD’S NIGHT

“That’s the Dame we all know. It was great to see him in a good rhythm, comfortable out there and leading the team.”

Article content