Two games into the NBA season, Collin Murray-Boyles is already building on his successful rookie season. His stats do not jump off the page, as he is averaging 7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 2.0 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game. However, his impact has been much larger than those numbers suggest.
Collin Murray-Boyles' on/off splits tell the story
In the first game of the season, Murray-Boyles played just 19 minutes as Toronto blew out the Chicago Bulls by 43 points. In those 19 minutes, the Raptors outscored Chicago by 28 points. That is an impressive number, but when your team wins by more than 40 points, you can expect some exaggerated on/off splits.
The second game of the season was a much closer contest against the Washington Wizards. Murray-Boyles again played limited minutes, but this time it was due to foul trouble. Toronto won the game by 10 points, and despite Murray-Boyles being limited to 17 minutes, he finished with a team-high plus-21 on the night.
Watching the game, it was not hard to see why. Murray-Boyles' energy was unmatched. He was just as likely to steal an entry pass intended for the much larger Anthony Davis as he was to battle opponents for better positioning on the boards. Every time he entered the game, Toronto seemed to get an immediate spark.
How will Murray-Boyles build on this start?
That is the ultimate question. The first two games of the season have been an encouraging start, but it is a long season. Additionally, as good as Murray-Boyles has been, we have not seen much offensive growth from him yet.
Some fans expected Murray-Boyles to enter this season with a more developed three-point shot and a stronger off-the-dribble game. We have not seen much of that so far. He has attempted just one three-pointer, which he missed, and has not created much of his own offense.
Again, it is still very early in the season, but if CMB can maintain the defensive impact and high-energy play he has shown through the first two games while continuing to develop his offensive game, this could be a true breakout season for the 2025 ninth overall pick.
Tough upcoming schedule gives CMB a chance to prove himself
The Raptors' next three games are against the Minnesota Timberwolves and two against the Orlando Magic. Minnesota has enjoyed a dominant start to the season, winning its first two games by an average of 23.5 points. Orlando has not had the same success, losing its first two games, but the Magic are still expected to be a strong team led by two All-Star-caliber wings.
This stretch will be a good test for Murray-Boyles, and the rest of the team, to see how he rises to the occasion against tougher competition. His defensive impact will be critical over these next three games if Toronto wants to remain undefeated.
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