Colin Murray-Boyles looks on after a big night against the Hawks
The Toronto Raptors to have owned by the Atlanta Hawks throughout the season, and on Monday night they sealed the season series against Atlanta in convincing fashion with a 118-100 victory. Even with the Raptors having a depleted frontcourt amid Jakob Poltl’s absence, they were too much to handle on the interior — with rookie Colin Murray-Boyles playing inspired basketball in rare starts.
Murray-Boyles finished with a high plus-minus of plus-24, thanks in large part to his incredible work on the defensive end of the floor. The Raptors rookie shows why they should not be hanging around in trade negotiations for someone like Anthony Davis, as he displays a seemingly similar disruptive defensive presence. But he wasn’t just a blocking defensive player that night; he also finished with 17 points on 8-10 shooting, playing his part in the balanced scoring for the Raptors.
After the Raptors rookie game shed some light to his mentality that suggests he would have accomplished so much in the NBA.
“If you’re not tired, you’re not working hard enough. I’m trying to be as tired as possible,” Murray-Boyles said, per Josh Levenberg of TSN.
Murray-Boyles recorded three steals and two blocks on the night, and showed so much defensive versatility guarding the interior and perimeter. The Raptors certainly have a quality young player who is starting to figure it out in the NBA.
The Raptors give a balanced effort against the Hawks
Seven different players scored in double figures for the Raptors on Monday, and none of them scored more than 20 points — with Brandon Ingram leading the way with 19.
The Raptors’ mantra all year has been strength in numbers, and the return of RJ Barrett to the active lineup has reduced the team’s reliance on offensive rebounds.
Their next game will be Wednesday night when they take on the Charlotte Hornets after a win over the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder at 7:00 PM ET
2026-01-06 06:26:00
