Game 4 between the Toronto Raptors and the Cleveland Cavaliers was a rock fight—a game full of missed shots, turnovers, and fouls. The Cavs shot 37% from the field and 25% from three, and the Raptors were even worse, shooting 32% from the floor and 13% from three. Nevertheless, the Raptors secured a 93-89 win to tie the series with some big defensive plays and clutch free throws late in the fourth quarter.
Jamal Shead played a big role in that. He came off the bench again after starting the first two games of the series in place of the injured Immanuel Quickley and only shot 1-6 from the field, following the overall trend of the game. He still closed the game, showed great composure and clock awareness, and made winning plays at just the right time.
His late-game effort perfectly encapsulated the reality of the Raptors’ Jamal Shead experience. He may not fill up the stat sheet or score a whole lot every night, but the Raptors still need him to be impactful in other ways to win games in this series. Whether you like it or not, Quickley’s injury pushed Shead into a meaningful role. He is one of the team’s top players in minutes per game in this series. He will have to deliver winning plays as he did in Game 4 again.
Shead had a big defensive possession that allowed the Raptors to take the lead
With about 42 seconds left in the game, the Cavaliers were up one point. Scottie Barnes hounded Donovan Mitchell as he brought up the ball, slowing him down in the backcourt. When he was just about to cross the half-court line, Shead dove in to cut Mitchell off and force an eight-second violation.
The Raptors gained possession, allowing Scottie Barnes to drive to the rim and get fouled. He sank both free throws to take a one-point lead.
The game remained close after that, but the Raptors survived the Cavs’ attempts to regain the lead, and Shead also stayed composed in two other high-pressure situations. He had to inbound the ball twice against defensive pressure from the Cavs with Evan Mobley in front of him. Just one bad pass that led to a steal or a turnover in those situations could have changed the outcome of the game, considering how small the Raptors’ lead was.
Shead earned some well-deserved praise postgame
Shead’s late-game plays didn’t go unnoticed by his teammates. Barnes shared some big praise for the young guard.
“Jamal’s a smart player,” Barnes told reporters in the postgame media availability when asked about Shead’s impact late in the game. “Just being able to make that read, having that clock awareness in that split second just shows how smart he his.”
He continued, “Him taking out the ball in those two tough situations, one being in the short corner, one being on the sideline with a seven-footer right in front of him, him being able to make those passes, make those reads shows us his IQ. Him staying calm in those moments when it’s his first time being there, that just goes to show how good of a player he is and how he helps our team.”
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