Raptors bench players learning on the job

The Toronto Raptors are a little banged up as the midway point of the NBA season approaches, with regular starters RJ Barrett and Jakob Poeltl missing long stretches.

TORONTO – The Toronto Raptors are a little banged up as the midway point of the NBA season approaches, with regular starters RJ Barrett and Jakob Poeltl missing long stretches.

Fortunately, Toronto’s bench is learning to step up.

Backup point guard Jamal Shead scored a career-high 19 points and added five assists and four rebounds as the Raptors rallied past Orlando 107-106 on Monday and Toronto stayed ahead of the Magic in the Eastern Conference standings. Shead was on the court for all 12 minutes of the fourth quarter to help the Raptors close the game out.

“The bench unit is coming along, and I think we’re just growing as the season grows,” said Shead. “We’re not trying to stay too high, trying to stay too low, just trying to grow and learn from our mistakes.”

Toronto’s starting five, especially Scottie Barnes and Immanuel Quickley, looked sluggish in the second game of a back-to-back. The Raptors also rallied to victory Sunday, when they pushed the Golden State Warriors to overtime and won 141-127.

Barnes and Quickley combined for two points in Monday’s first half against the Magic. Quickley only played 2:43 in the fourth quarter as Shead took over most of the playmaking duties for Toronto.

Barnes recovered a bit in the second half to finish with 13 points and 11 rebounds for the Raptors (20-14) and Brandon Ingram added 17 points and nine rebounds. Gradey Dick, who has struggled most of this season, came off the bench with 15 points.

“We’ve been in a lot of the same positions this year where we’ve given up in those situations and kind of let the game get away from us,” said Shead on Toronto’s toughness in the fourth quarter. “We’re learning and we’re growing as a team.