This is a Scottie Barnes-led franchise, that should come as no secret to anyone. There has been some debate about whether Barnes can be a full-fledged number one option on a contending team, but this postseason has shown that he can fit into that role just fine. Barnes is currently the Raptors' leader in points, assists, and blocks in the postseason. In the four games so far, he's averaging 25.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 1.0 steals, and 1.2 blocks.
But winning a playoff battle probably shouldn't rest on the efforts of just one player. As great as Barnes has shown he can be as an aggressive leader and driver to success, there are two other players giving the Raptors a huge boost in this tense series: RJ Barrett and Collin Murray-Boyles.
Scottie-RJ-CMB has been the Raptors' saving grace trio in the playoffs
Next in line on the Raptors postseason scoring leaderboard is RJ Barrett, who has been providing Toronto with a steady 24.3 points on strong efficiency. He also adds 6.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.3 steals.
Meanwhile, Collin Murray-Boyles has been impressing both Raptors fans and catching the attention of the wider NBA audience with his solid efforts in these playoffs, all while doing so in just his rookie campaign. CMB is third on the team in playoff scoring with 17.0 points on elite efficiency, shooting 65.9% from the field. He also leads the team on the glass with 7.3 rebounds, along with 2.5 assists and 1.0 steals.
The Scottie Barnes and CMB connection has already been on the radar in Raptors Nation as a highlight of their future makeup, and these playoffs have only served to elevate those conversations. While Toronto has other talented young players who could become critical to their core, like Ja’Kobe Walter, the increased output from RJ Barrett should serve as the perfect audition tape. It’s not just for extension talks but also as a statement that the "Maple Mamba" can fit seamlessly alongside the already promising SB/CMB duo.
When you consider how this trio has been performing and building off each other's games, especially while key pieces like Brandon Ingram might be quickly fading out of the core outlook and Immanuel Quickley out of action, you have to wonder if the Raptors have stumbled onto their three true building blocks.
It might be a little hard to see with Barrett, since he’s almost been the odd man out in this Raptors structure, despite putting in the work to compete at a high level. But focusing on the Scottie-RJ pairing, that duo been proving to outclass the Cavs' star backcourt of James Harden and Donovan Mitchell, while the increased defensive effort from Barrett has been a joy to see. Barnes even spoke to the media after Game 3, giving his co-star the well-deserved flowers. He noted that Barrett is destroying any preconceived narratives and is emerging as a leader for this team.
The current results have to speak volumes. If this pattern continues for the rest of this series against the Cavaliers and hopefully into the rest of Toronto’s spirited playoff push, then it might be wise for the Raptors to embrace the vision.
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