Raptors depth players continue to impress as 2024-25 NBA season winds down

TORONTO - In a career-best offensive night, Jared Rhoden was still focused on what he had done defensively.

Rhoden hit new highs with 25 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Toronto Raptors to a 118-105 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday for the first double-double of his NBA career. But it was his four steals — also a career high — that he said was the most memorable part of his night.

"I think that's something that I really take pride in, something that I look to the game to see how I affected the game," said Rhoden. "That's going to be my calling card in the NBA. 

"I could score as many points as I want, but I know that in order for me to sustain myself, I have to play defence."

Making a name for himself is what Rhoden — and almost all of his Raptors teammates — were trying to do against the Sixers.

The two teams had a combined 17 players unavailable to play. That included four of Toronto's usual starters with Immanuel Quickley (rest), RJ Barrett (personal reasons) of Mississauga, Ont., Scottie Barnes (sprained finger on right hand), and Gradey Dick (right knee bone bruise) all out.

A total of nine Raptors were inactive for the game.

Put more succinctly, the only players that stepped on the court for Toronto on Wednesday with more than 100 NBA games under their belts were centre Jakob Poeltl and backup forward Garrett Temple. Everyone else was a rookie, on a two-way deal, on a two-way deal converted to a standard NBA contract, or a 10-day deal.

"People always say the NBA is about opportunities, it's never about the talent," said Rhoden, who is on a two-way. "I think what you're seeing now is, what people are capable of doing when they get opportunities, and that's what the NBA is all about, and it's how you capitalize on those chances."

Orlando Robinson, who has his two-way converted to a standard contract on March 4, had a career-high 25 points and matched his career-best with 12 rebounds. Colin Castleton, on a 10-day deal, had a career-high 14 rebounds and seven points. 

A.J. Lawson of Brampton, Ont., also on a two-way, had 28 points a game after scoring a career-high 32.

"I haven't seen that before and it is very special," said head coach Darko Rajakovic on the impressive play of Toronto's depth players. "It just shows what a great job the front office is doing of bringing those guys on and our (G-League's Raptors) 905 bringing guys there, getting them incorporated in the system.

"Then you see those guys step on the floor and contribute to that."

Robinson has also played for the Miami Heat organization and the Sacramento Kings and their G-League club.

"It's all about the situation," said Robinson. "Then once you get the opportunity, it's up to you to take advantage of that opportunity. 

"Guys like A.J., myself and JR, that's what we're doing, taking advantage of the opportunity so that you don't sleep on us."

Toronto's win put Philadelphia half a game behind the Raptors in the standings. That gives the 76ers the fifth-best odds in the upcoming NBA Draft lottery.

The Raptors have the seventh-worst record in the NBA, with a 31.9 per cent chance of getting a top-four pick in this summer's draft and a 7.5 per cent chance at the first overall selection.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 12, 2025.