Raptors can make major statement in Boston against Celtics Sunday

Article content

The Toronto Raptors are running out of chances to make a statement, which makes Sunday’s game at Boston one of their biggest remaining.

Article content

The Celtics were supposed to be a team that would be fighting to make the play-in, if not the lottery since superstar Jayson Tatum was projected to miss the entire season due to injury, but instead they’ve been a force. After dropping 6-of-10 to start the season, Boston’s gone 48-19 and Tatum hasn’t shown much rust at all. This is the best team Toronto has left on the schedule (though New York isn’t far behind) and a Raptors win would send a bit of a message at an ideal time. All season long Toronto’s struggled to beat the NBA’s elite. They’re also just 4-10 against the Atlantic Division, indicating whoever they face in the post-season (if they make it) will knock out the Raptors pretty easily. The three Celtics wins over Toronto earlier this season haven’t been too close, and Toronto won’t have starting point guard Immanuel Quickley, giving Boston an even bigger edge at guard, where Payton Pritchard has dominated matchups for several years now, along with Derrick White.

Article content

Article content

Article content

Article content

Toronto’s following two games, both at home against Miami, loom large too because the Heat sit only two games back, but Boston is a much stronger group and beating them, in Boston no less, would be a far more notable achievement. Brandon Ingram has stepped up against the Celtics, averaging 27 points and five assists in two games and Toronto’s offence has been solid overall against them, but there hasn’t yet been an answer defensively, and now Tatum needs to be dealt with too.

STANDINGS WATCH

Miami blew out woeful Washington, scoring 152 points on Saturday, to keep pace with Atlanta, Philadelphia, Toronto, Charlotte and Orlando, who all won Friday. Philadelphia then got clobbered at home later Saturday, dropping the Sixers at least temporarily half a game behind the Raptors, who moved back into a playoff spot.

Article content

Charlotte plays in Minnesota Sunday, Orlando in New Orleans.

The Hornets and Hawks have the NBA’s toughest remaining schedule, but both have been winning so often in recent weeks it might not matter. The Sixers had the eighth-toughest schedule remaining including Saturday’s game against Detroit, Orlando the 10th, Toronto the 13th, Miami the 20th.

CMB IMPRESSING

Perhaps missing some time due to thumb and back issues has helped Collin Murray-Boyles avoid the rookie wall.

Instead, the first-year big man is thriving down the stretch, emerging as one of the best players on the floor in recent games.

After somewhat shockingly scoring 19 points in his second NBA game against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs, Murray-Boyles did not top 17 in a game again for more than four months. But he’s hit seven field goals in three straight games now, including 7-for-9 and 7-for-10 work over his last two, where he’s scored 20 and 19 points, respectively. Murray-Boyles seems to be finishing inside a lot better than he was when his thumb was throbbing from pain after constantly being hit throughout the season. He’s also shot eight free throws in each of the last two, indicating his aggressiveness is up as well.

Article content

While Murray-Boyles was drafted ninth overall largely because of his elite defensive capabilities, he can, and eventually will do more offensively than he’s shown so far surrounded by offence-first players like Ingram, RJ Barrett and Quickley. At South Carolina Murray-Boyles was the top scorer, a solid passer and compiled the second-highest field goal percentage in program history. As he gets more comfortable, Murray-Boyles will still make his name as a defender, but he will start showcasing more of his all-around talents.

Scottie Barnes is Toronto’s best player, Ingram it’s top offensive force, but Murray-Boyles is already one of its most important. He’s a huge “swing” player for the team. If he continues to ascend, the Raptors will be a much stronger group whether in a play-in game or a playoff series and Murray-Boyles is already a crucial part of the franchise’s future.

Article content

The 2025 draft crop was one of the strongest in years, but so far Murray-Boyles is holding his own. He’s tied with top pick Cooper Flagg in win shares (ranking fifth overall, despite missing nearly 20 more games than the others atop the group), he’s sixth in box plus/minus and sixth in value over replacement player.

It will be interesting to see if he makes the all-rookie second team. Flagg, rookie of the year favourite Kon Knueppel, Dylan Harper, VJ Edgecombe and Ace Bailey or Maxime Raynaud will probably comprise the first team. Right now Murray-Boyles would be an easy choice for me. I’d probably have Cedric Coward, either Bailey or Raynaud, Murray-Boyles, Canadian Will Riley and either Jeremiah Fears, his teammate Derik Queen or Ryan Kalkbrenner for the final spot. Could see Murray-Boyles being in a major battle even though he’s defended far better than nearly any rookie ever does.

@WolstatSun

Article content