New York — Tell Jamal Shead that his assists tend to be more grey sweater than colourful plaid, and he takes it as a compliment.

It’s meant as one, which helps. It’s not that Shead’s growing assist totals are boring; they just don’t tend to jump off the screen. It’s more that one simple play leads to another.

The second-year Toronto Raptors point guard is certainly capable of making passes that raise eyebrows, whether it’s dragging the defence with him before he drops a no-look hand-off behind his back to create an easy dunk for whichever big man is trailing in his wake, or pushing the ball at full speed and threading the needle crosscourt for a teammate’s lay-up in transition.

Shead has skills, and more than anything, he makes a lot of passes that lead to baskets, so his helpers inevit

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