Despite a 112-95 loss to the New York Knicks, the Raptors are in a great position to make the playoffs. They have one game left against the 20-61 Nets, own the tiebreaker over the Magic, and have a one-game lead over the 76ers.
The only problem is that if the Raptors finish sixth, they’ll have to face the Knicks in the first round—a matchup that hasn’t yielded much success for the Raptors. Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, especially, have been a problem for the Raptors. Towns scored at least 20 points in four out of the five games and usually did so very efficiently. He also recorded three double-doubles. Brunson averaged 24.2 points and 5.4 assists against the Raptors.
If this actually ends up being the Raptors’ first-round matchup, the coaching staff will have to come up with creative solutions to avoid a brutal, brief series. One of those solutions may be trusting rookie Collin Murray-Boyles with a massive role and a chance to test out his defense on Towns throughout a playoff series as an alternative to Jakob Poeltl.
Collin Murray-Boyles’s defense could be a difference-maker
Murray-Boyles earned a spot in the Raptors’ playoff rotation, but he may have to take on a bigger role than initially expected.
The rookie’s defense could be a difference-maker against Towns. He is more athletic, mobile, and versatile than Poeltl, who struggled to guard Towns in the Raptors’ most recent game against the Knicks.
Towns may have the size of a traditional big, like Poeltl, but he doesn’t play like it, and that can be a challenge. Murray-Boyles gives up some size, but he also offers the Raptors a different look on defense that may bother Towns more.
The Raptors can learn a lot from a first-round series against the Knicks
The Knicks are a veteran team that has plenty of experience playing together in the playoffs. The Raptors, on the other hand, are a younger team with no playoff experience with this current core. So, a series against the Knicks could teach them a lot. Who is ready for the big stage? What should the long-term core be? How do Murray-Boyles and Ja’Kobe Walter respond to their first postseason experiences?
Murray-Boyles already looks like an important part of the Raptors’ future despite only playing 56 games and dealing with a thumb injury. His first playoff series will reveal how ready he is to contribute at the next stage and how much the Raptors can rely on him as they try to go from being a good team to a great team.