Raptors fans have been watching closely after head coach Darko Rajakovic stated before their five-game West Coast trip that team personnel were hopeful Collin Murray-Boyles could return to the court during the schedule.
I thought it would be great to see CMB back and ready to go for the Raptors' big-time playoff-style matchup with the Nuggets, which certainly lived up to my expectations. However, they went into the high-stakes game without their standout rookie. Subsequently, CMB was missing in action as the Raptors dropped another game on their West Coast trip to the Phoenix Suns.
This made me wonder whether Raptors fans were caught in a similar waiting game, much like the one we experienced with Jakob Poeltl during his uncertain absence. During that period, it felt like just as Poeltl was nearing a return or the personnel indicated his progress was trending in the right direction, we would go into games without seeing the veteran center suit up and still on the sidelines.
But wouldn't you know it, after missing 11 straight games due to his nagging thumb injury, Collin Murray-Boyles was back, ready for the Raptors to utilize in a lesser but still important matchup against the Utah Jazz — a game in which the Raptors were without Immanuel Quickley, Jakob Poeltl, and a late scratch for Brandon Ingram.
It looks like he hasn't skipped a beat during his time away, and CMB, despite the injured thumb, continued to perform effectively and proved to be a key contributor for the Raps. Collin Murray Boyles logged just over 17 minutes of playing time, where he recorded nine points on 3-for-5 shooting, along with four rebounds, one assist, one steal, and an impressive new career-high five blocks.
Collin Murray-Boyles sets new career-high in blocks upon Raptors return
I was also delighted to see a budding chemistry emerge during the game, particularly when Raptors main roster newcomer Markelle Fultz found CMB in the pick and roll. Similarly, the minutes when Fultz, Murray-Boyles, and Scottie Barnes were all on the floor together showed promising glimpses. As I highlighted in previous pieces, the favorable Jazz matchup provided several young Raptors players with the opportunity to achieve new career highs, as demonstrated by Jamal Shead and Sandro Mamukelashvili also.
While Raptors fans have been eager to see those two struggling reserves return to their top form, the absence of Collin Murray-Boyles has also been a noticeable missing piece. Despite being a rookie, CMB has quickly become one of Toronto’s key sources of physicality and force. His absence has revealed a gap in the team’s makeup — missing a player who is willing to do the dirty work and take on tough assignments. Just look at those five blocks: achieving such a metric in a condense amount of minutes is honestly incredible.
Watching Jakob Poeltl find his rhythm has been encouraging, as has the nightly efforts from Scottie Barnes, but CMB has already proven himself a vital part of this core. Even in his first NBA season, he's established himself as just as important as anyone else stepping up. CMB might be just 20 years old, but he plays with a "grown man" strength to his game. Clearly, the missed time was no obstacle either as he quickly found his rhythm and left a strong imprint in his first game back, even if it was against a weak Jazz squad.
Although he's still developing, especially on the offensive end, Raptors fans should remember that he could play a crucial role in their postseason run. Perhaps shooting (or in their case, a lackthereof) and the Raptors' defense will be key playoff storylines, but it will also be a showcase for which of Toronto’s young players step up with energy and force. Outside of Scottie Barnes, no one embodies that more than Collin Murray-Boyles, and he will certainly be one to watch.