What Raptors' Darko Rajakovic Said to Team Before All-Star Break

The Toronto Raptors are getting ready for the second half of the season.

Toronto Raptors Head Coach Darko Rajakovic watches his team play against the Portland Trail Blazers. | Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images

The Toronto Raptors are getting ready for the second half of the season as they try to achieve one of the top spots in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

The team has done a good job in the first half of the season, but there is work to do before the regular season is finished. Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic shared what he told the team before they went off on their week-long break.

“I told players they should recharge their batteries, disconnect for a moment, mentally and physically, and then all of us are really excited to come back and to continue building what we have going on, but it’s gonna be a really good refreshment for us,” Rajakovic said via Toronto Sun reporter Ryan Wolstat.

Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic reacts to an official's call in the second half against the Utah Jazz. | Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

Rajakovic, Raptors Getting Rested Before Second Half

The Raptors are in a good spot in fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings, but they believe they have not reached their full potential quite yet.

“Unfortunately, we had the injuries that slowed us down. I thought the start of the year was really, really good for us, offensively and defensively, and I thought there was a lot of development going on for us from that point, hopefully following the all-star break, have everybody healthy so we’re going to be able to make next step for us,” Rajakovic said via Wolstat.

“I believe that our best basketball is ahead of us and not behind us. But overall, I think winning 32 games out of first 55 I think it’s really good for us and something that gives us a lot of encouragement to continue building on it.”

If the Raptors stay healthy, they can possibly have a chance to host a first-round series in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Jakob Poeltl is inching closer to 100 per cent after snapping a 25-game drought of playing with a back injury. He appeared in the team's latest game against the Detroit Pistons, which will help them get ready for the second half of the season.

The team also hasn't had RJ Barrett for nearly half of the season as he has only been on the court for 31 games. If he can stay in the lineup next to All-Stars Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram, the Raptors should be at full strength, which will make them a dangerous team to play against in the home stretch.