"There are seven minutes remaining in the Toronto Raptors' game against the Charlotte Hornets. Jamal Shead is on the floor. He is a reserve, but with RJ Barrett out injured, Darko Rajakovic has been turning to his bench point guard more and more often in high-leverage situations. And in this one, Shead seizes the reins of the offence. He plays a two-man game with Brandon Ingram, gets off the ball early to give his superstar scorer a chance to dance,"
"Shead, 1-of-4 for triples to that point in the game, doesn't want it. But rather than slowing down the pace, he baseball passes directly back to Ingram, who even unbeknownst to the star himself is now in perfect position for a 3-on-2 situation beneath the free-throw line. I had to double-check the screen to make sure it wasn't Scottie Barnes who threw the pass."
"Shead has been a revelation for the Raptors this season. Coming into the year, he was the only bench player who wouldn't have another player with whom to compete for rotation minutes. It's not clear he entirely earned that trust as the uncontested backup point; last season, he had the second-worst on/off differential on the team among rotation players. He showed promise and was something of a fan favourite, but a minutes winner he was not."
Jamal Shead has become a crucial reserve for the Toronto Raptors, often trusted in high-leverage moments with RJ Barrett injured. He initiates offense through two-man actions with Brandon Ingram, using his quick first step and off-ball relocations to create spacing. He routinely makes rapid, unselfish decisions and delivers advanced passes that can create 3-on-2 opportunities. His presence markedly improves team performance, reflected in strong on/off differential and offensive impact. Early expectations positioned him as depth, but season performance has elevated him into one of the team's most effective bench contributors.
Read at Raptors Republic
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