The budding chemistry between Scottie Barnes and Collin Murray-Boyles continues to be a key Raptors storyline to follow, especially given their playoff sample so far.
While Murray-Boyles faced injury adversity during the regular season, the moments when both CMB and Scottie Barnes were active showed they have an intriguing connection that reveals a wealth of upside for the Raptors' future. That connection not only creates a defensive nightmare for opponents but also suggests that Murray-Boyles is becoming a favorite target in Barnes’ playmaking initiatives.
Game 3 was a massive win for the Toronto Raptors, and the Scottie B. to CMB connection was on full display. It was a monster showcase for Barnes, who scored a playoff career-high 33 points and 11 assists, along with five rebounds, one steal, and one block. Likewise, Collin Murray-Boyles continued his unconventional rise as a rookie in a playoff atmosphere, delivering his best game of the series with 22 points, eight rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block.
Of Barnes' 11 assists in Game 3, the player in which he found most was Collin Murray-Boyles, having assisted five to CMB made baskets. On the series as a whole, Barnes has achieved 23 assists, with a total of eight of those assists going to CMB (one in Game 1 and two in Game 2).
Barnes and Murray-Boyles' chemistry grows in Raptors vs. Cavs series
If you look at the Raptors' roster, there’s no denying that when you consider the future of this team, Scottie Barnes and Collin Murray-Boyles stand out as key franchise cornerstones or “untouchables,” as I labeled them previously. Individually, they are both tremendous players, and even though I was a bit wary of how this pairing could work on the floor together (especially from a spacing perspective) — it has produced more successful results than anything else.
In fact, Barnes spoke about Murray-Boyles' effort that allowed him to find the rookie effectively and open up passing lanes.
He mentioned this in the post-Game 3 press conference, where he said: "First off, I think the gravity that BI [Brandon Ingram] has out there on the floor, it's opened up so much for everyone else out on the floor. Just the way they're guarding him, it opens up driving lanes. It opens up me being able to drive and they're trying to not allow him to get the ball. They're sending a second defender at him. So, I'm driving. I can see Collin, late rolling, getting layups. He's doing a great job of finding those windows and being able to score it. Being super physical, trying to go through the defender."
Likewise, in Murray-Boyles' own post-game presser, he answered a question about the chemistry with Barnes and explained how and why he's able to get to his spots as a result.
The Raptors rookie said: "Puts pressure on the rim. I feel like he [Scottie Barnes] draws in a lot of attention. A lot of our guys draw a lot of attention when they get to the rim or get in that mid-range area. But yeah, just him doing that and then me finding open windows to where I can get the ball because most time their big tries to stop them. So, me just being able to find a window to get the ball and be effective. It's really been great tonight."
Game 3 set a new tone for the Raptors vs. Cavaliers series, and the upcoming samples will reveal whether the Barnes-to-CMB connection remains a key factor in their success. It certainly looks the part right now, but as Barnes mentioned in his post-game scrum, the Raptors’ rally in this series will continue through hard work, smart adjustments, and ongoing improvement.
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