The Raptors have unfortunately been hampered by a severe lack of size and presence near the glass. Those in Raptors Nation have long been aware that this has been an issue, even after Toronto’s offseason pursuit of Sandro Mamukelashvili, who certainly brings an offensive spark but is not quite a true backup center.
Things have only worsened as the 2025-26 season has revealed. The Raptors' veteran starting center, Jakob Poeltl, has clearly been playing at less than 100 percent, plagued by early injuries including a broken nose and a compromised back. As a result, the team has taken a significant hit with Poeltl’s decline and the evident lack of suitable substitutes, now falling to a four-game losing streak. They have been out-rebounded by their last two opponents, San Antonio and Houston, by a wide margin.
The Spurs had a field day against Toronto, grabbing 44 rebounds compared to the Raptors' measly 20. Meanwhile, the Rockets showed that the rebounding battle was nowhere close with their imposing lineup, securing a whopping 53 boards to the Raptors’ lowly 22 — in a game where Jakob Poeltl was inactive due to injury.
Which brings me to the gentleman suited up at the starting five spot in Poeltl's absence: rookie Collin Murray-Boyles. Murray-Boyles got his first taste of NBA action on October 26 against the Mavericks, logging 13 minutes but not quite leaving a considerable impact (0-for-4 on his field goal attempts, two rebounds). However, his next two games served as something of a coming-out party for the recent lottery pick, as he's quickly establishing himself as a glimmer of hope during a rather gloomy stretch of Raptors basketball.
Raptors rookie Collin Murray-Boyles has been a pleasant surprise
Against the Spurs on October 27: 19 points on 7-for-13 field goal shooting, three rebounds, one assist, three steals, and one block. Against the Rockets on October 29: 13 points on 5-for-8 field goal shooting, one rebound, and two assists.
Of course, during the pre-draft process, Murray-Boyles was highly regarded for his defensive versatility and seemingly endless motor, qualities that remain his calling card. But it's been a very pleasant surprise to see him demonstrate a willingness and ability to shoot the three-ball during this two-game stretch, currently averaging an impressive 60% from beyond the arc (6-for-9 on his attempts from deep). Likewise, the youngster's on-court mentality is proving to be very mature and self-assured, as this quote courtesy of Raptors insider Josh Lewenberg on X would reveal:
CMB-“These are all players that I watched. They have all the accolades but they’re still human at the end of the day. They’re no different from me. They put their underwear on the same way. So I play them like they’re regular people, try not to get too stuck on what they’ve done” https://t.co/BYrDEsghYM
— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) October 30, 2025
Right now, it definitely looks like there isn’t a lot of heart, hustle, or drive to play hard in Raptors basketball. While it’s one thing for the coach to emphasize this call to action, it’s another to be completely oblivious to the evident lack of hunger to improve and play better. But even amid this horrid stretch of on-court struggles, Raptors fans can find a silver lining in Collin Murray-Boyles’ quiet breakout. It’s not fair to expect a rookie to be a standout every night this early in his career, but even at this stage, Raptors fans should be excited to see how CMB's inaugural season progresses.