Tuesday night was magical for Toronto Raptors fans as they got to witness a 148-98 beatdown of the reigning-champion New York Knicks in the Raptors’ third preseason game. While none of New York’s starters suited up for the exhibition, nothing could have put a damper on seven-time All-Star Kawhi Leonard’s reintroduction to Scotiabank Arena and the Raptors faithful. 

Regardless of who they were matched up against, the Raptors’ stars showed out on the offensive end. Specifically, the three scoring leaders of the game were Leonard (21), Scottie Barnes (19), and Collin Murray-Boyles (19), who combined for 21-for-29 shooting from the field and 6-for-11 from behind the arc. Many expected this trio to be one of the greatest defensive nightmares in the league right away, but it would have been rare to find someone who expected this level of dominance on the offensive end. 

While he only played in the first half, the two-time Finals MVP delivered exactly as he was expected to. Scoring has never looked so effortless; whether it was taking it to the hole, pull-up shots in the midrange, or catch-and-shoot threes, Leonard was simply inevitable in his first game back with the Raptors. Barnes described the spiritual experience in his postgame presser. 

“Every time he shoots the ball, it looks like it’s going in,” said Barnes. “He’s going to draw so much attention … Him just lifting up and shooting, it was like, ‘yo, this guy’s really good.’”

Even after scoring a career-high 27.9 points per game last season, the former No. 15 pick in the 2011 NBA draft isn’t known just for his offensive ability. The two-time DPOY wreaked havoc on the Knicks’ ball-handlers with constant pressure and aggression that led to turnovers and transition points. Murray-Boyles specifically mentioned his hands and how effective he is because of them. 

“They’re huge,” said Murray-Boyles. “Obviously, his hands on defence are just phenomenal. They’re the best, I think, ever. It’s just crazy to see.” 

The attention on the night may have been directed towards Leonard, and for good reason, but that shouldn’t take away from how extraordinary Barnes and Murray-Boyles played as well. Barnes narrowly missed out on his first career All-NBA selection last season, largely because of his lack of offensive repertoire. Like his superstar counterpart, defense will never be an issue; he proved this throughout his fifth-place finish in the DPOY voting in 2026. 

However, what held him back the most was his lack of outside shooting or ability to hit jump shots in general when it mattered most. While the magnitude of intensity or pressure was not comparable to the regular season or playoffs, the former Florida State Seminole was relentless in his shooting efficiency. It felt like he was trying to prove a point early on that he is not only capable of scoring from all areas of the floor, but he is making it a habit to get to his favorite spots right away. The number of contested fadeaways he made in the first half alone should be alarming to the rest of the league because if this becomes a consistent occurrence, Barnes should be seen as a top-10 player in the NBA. 

Murray-Boyles obviously didn’t have as significant of an impact because, naturally, nobody is getting as many touches as the two highest-paid players. However, the leap he showed last night compared to last season could be a game-changer for the Raptors moving forward. In his rookie season, the 6-foot-7, 245-pound forward was somewhat one-dimensional on the offensive end. He was drafted with the No. 9 pick in the 2025 NBA draft because of his unlimited defensive versatility, but he was able to be extremely effective at attacking the basket from different scenarios like the pick-and-roll, off-ball cutting, and second-chance points. 

He was raved to have been grinding on his all-around offensive skills over the summer, and the sky-high anticipation for his sophomore Summer League was stifled due to injury. Throughout the offseason, the coaching staff continued to detail his work on his shot and ball-handling skills, and fans finally got a taste of it in the third preseason game. 

His stroke from downtown looked exceptional, especially given that he made one in both catch-and-shoot and off the dribble. He also showed off his willingness to get his own shot in the paint by beating his man off the bounce, something he didn’t seem to have the green light to attempt last year. Leonard talked about how their versatility makes the game easier for him. 

“Scottie and [Murray-Boyles], they’re very talented,” said Leonard. “They could play small-ball 5, the 4, the 1. When you got guys like that, it makes it look easy. They make the game easier for myself and others.”