Toronto definitely needed the boost provided by their talented bench unit in the razor-thin 107-106 victory. Although the Raptors increased their defensive intensity late in the game, it was clear that the team was missing an offensive edge from their starters. Toronto battled fiercely against Golden State the day before, especially Scottie Barnes with his historic triple-double featuring 25 rebounds that helped Toronto secure the huge overtime victory.
There is nothing better than seeing the team's young guns — many of whom I have recently written about regarding trade rumors and their spot in the pecking order — coming together to contribute as a unit. Toronto's 50 bench points against Orlando on December 29 marked a new 2025-26 season scoring high for the reserves, with young general Jamal Shead leading the way with a career-high 19 points.
Raptors' bench delivers a big-time scoring punch in win over Magic
Aside from Shead’s standout efforts, Gradey Dick scored 15 points, who was hot in the first half, with all his points coming during that stretch. Meanwhile, Ja’Kobe Walter contributed ten points, seven rebounds, and two steals. Rookie Collin Murray-Boyles also rejoined the Raptors lineup on December 29 after missing the previous two games with an illness. He added four points, twelve rebounds (matching his recent career-high against Miami), two assists, and two blocks — CMB also led Toronto with a +18 plus/minus.
As the game wound down, I was very impressed by the hustle and energy that Shead, CMB, and Walter were able to provide their team. A shoutout is also definitely in order for the locks put on by Toronto's resident defensive standout Scottie Barnes, who took on the Banchero matchup in the final possession to prevent him from sealing the game with a three.
Jamal Shead would give credit to Collin Murray-Boyles (watch his own post-game interview here) after being asked about him during his post-game media availability, where he said (YouTube link here):
"He's a really tough kid … he's coming off of a little bit of a sickness. He kind of shook it off. Still was able to go out there, jump as high as he can, and try to go get someJamal Shead on CMB, Dec. 29, 2025
blocks, go get some really big rebounds, and just all in all, his voice has been
really, really projecting, and he's been talking a lot more on defense. So, I think he's just tough, hard-nosed, and he's figuring out the ins and out of the NBA a little bit."
Shead would not miss the opportunity to praise the efforts of Ja'Kobe Walter and Gradey Dick as well, saying in his closing media scrum comments:
"Yeah, I mean I feel like this was a game that Gradey [Dick] needed, and he really helped us in that first half and kind of carried the scoring load, and it was awesome to seeJamal Shead on the Raptors' bench
him kind of get into a groove, and then you know, just Kobe's [Ja'Kobe Walter] defense towards the end of that game. So I think the bench unit is coming along, and you know, I think we're just growing as the season grows."
While it's up to the young players to stand out individually and elevate their roles as part of Toronto's future, the Raptors would ultimately benefit from moving beyond those conversations. If everyone could achieve more consistency and a level playing field among the young guys, it would become clear that all of them are still essential to the team's future.
While expecting 50 bench points every night might be unrealistic, we shouldn't overlook this young group. The Raptors have been gradually shifting the narrative in a more positive direction as an overall team. As Darko Rajakovic mentioned in the post-game Warriors press conference, Shead echoed the same sentiment, advising not to get too high or too low in these situations. Instead, take things slow and focus on one step at a time.