It's not often we see the turnovers rack up for Raptors sophomore Jamal Shead, but in Toronto's most recent contest against the Milwaukee Bucks on December 18, the 23-year-old faced a bit of adversity in the first half before turning up as the game progressed.
Shead was able to secure five assists in the first quarter alone. However, he also committed three quick turnovers, which somewhat negate the impact of his assists. On top of that, Shead's recurring shooting struggles continued to plague him in this affair. Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic addressed this during his post-game availability, saying (YouTube link here):
"... For example, like Jamal [Shead], I don't think that he did great job [sic] in the first half, he turned the ball over and Jamal as well, he was not shooting the ball great. "Darko Rajakovic, Dec 18, 2025
However, the Raptors' head of command went on to explain how Shead was able to stay composed and focus on where he could improve for the team.
Jamal Shead values team success over personal numbers
"... He's such a character that all he cares about, "How can I find a way to help the team?", and we talked about it at halftime, that he just needs to focus on the next play. That it's it's, it's okay, like he's human. He's not going to have every game, perfect game, and he was able to really be present in the second half and do a really good job for our team."Darko Rajakovic on Jamal Shead contd.
At the game's end, Shead finished somewhat rough with his shooting numbers, going 3-for-9 from the field (exactly matching what he shot against the Heat) and 1-for-5 from three. However, as Rajakovic highlighted, he played a much smoother second half. The one three-point shot he made late in the fourth quarter essentially served as the dagger in Toronto's eventual 111-105 victory.
Finishing with 11 assists — his second consecutive game with double-digit assists (including 10 in the Dec. 15 win over Miami) — is yet another sign that Shead continues to establish himself among the league's top backup passing guards.
It's not often an NBA team can feel confident knowing they have a true professional in their rotation who can come in and dish out double-digit assists on any given night. This is especially impressive considering the Raptors also got a decent passing performance from their starting point guard (but an equally challenging shooting night), Immanuel Quickley, who finished with 10 assists.