Toronto wrapped up January with a respectable 9-6 record. The month featured high-level competition, meaningful wins (a couple rough losses to follow), and contributions up and down the roster. With that in mind, here are a few standout moments and performances from the past month.
Game of the Month Award
Winner: Toronto Raptors vs. Oklahoma City Thunder on January 25th
Runner-up: Toronto Raptors vs. Philadelphia 76ers on January 11th
Toronto’s win over the NBA-leading Thunder has the potential to become a defining moment in the season. It was the type of victory this young team can revisit during difficult stretches as proof that its process works.
The game had everything you could ask for: a back-and-forth fourth quarter, contributions from nearly everyone in the rotation, and a strong finish against an elite opponent. The only thing missing was a true standout performance, but Scottie Barnes filled the box score while Immanuel Quickley delivered an efficient 23 points.
The main competition came from Toronto’s first matchup against Philadelphia earlier in the month. That game may have been more dramatic, but it carried slightly less long-term impact. Quickley missed a potential game-winner at the end of regulation, yet Barnes took control in overtime to secure the victory.
Edge of the Rotation Award
Winner: Gradey Dick
Runner-up: Ja’Kobe Walter
Toronto has a solid group of eight players when fully healthy. The final batch of rotation spots remain up for grabs among four or five players, and over the past month, no one helped their case more than Gradey Dick.
Dick appeared in every game in January, averaging 8.1 points per game on 48.4/34.0/93.8 shooting splits. He played especially well toward the end of the month, scoring in double figures in seven of Toronto’s final nine January games. While there are still holes in his game that could give Darko Rajaković pause when the roster is fully healthy, continued play at this level could earn Dick a consistent rotation role.
Ja’Kobe Walter had an up-and-down month, missing seven games due to injury and lacking the shooting consistency Dick showed. Still, when healthy, Walter made his presence felt. The clearest example came against Oklahoma City, where he consistently made life difficult for reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with physical, strong defense.
Performance of the Month Award
Winner: Immanuel Quickley vs. Golden State Warriors – 40 points, two rebounds, ten assists, 85% FG%, 100% FT%, 87.5 3PT%
Runner-up: Scottie Barnes vs. Indiana Pacers – 26 points, seven rebounds, 13 assists, 62.5% FG%, 55.6% FT%, 33.3% 3PT%
One of the most efficient 40-point games in history tends to put you high on “Performance of the Month Award” lists. Quickley became the first player since Wilt Chamberlain to score 40 points, get 10 assists and shoot better than 80% from the field.
It was a game to remember and played a major role in Quickley recently earning the Eastern Conference Player of the Week.
The real question was: who should be the runner-up to Quickley’s masterpiece?
I landed on Scottie Barnes' performance against the Indiana Pacers on January 14. What really stood out about this game was Barnes’ role. Quickley missed this matchup due to an injury, Jamal Shead started in his place, and Barnes essentially had to share the point guard position with Shead for the entire game. He responded with a season-high 13 assists while also chipping in an efficient 26 points.
Conclusion
After a disappointing December, a strong January feels meaningful for this team. February will bring new challenges with the All-Star break and trade deadline ahead. How the Raptors respond could shape the rest of the season.