After injuries have limited his playing time over the past month, he is starting to find his groove at the perfect time.
There are five games remaining in the 2026 NBA regular season for the Toronto Raptors, and after a 4-5 stretch over the last nine games, they find themselves in the seventh seed of the Eastern Conference. After once controlling their own destiny to erase their three-year playoff drought, the Raptors are slated to face the Charlotte Hornets in the Play-In Tournament to have a chance to participate in the playoffs.
Injuries have plagued them all season, and that hasn’t changed as the postseason comes nearer. Starting point guard Immanuel Quickley continues to sit out with plantar fasciitis in his right foot, and second-year guard Ja’Kobe Walter has swiftly filled his starting role by supplying efficient three-point shooting and perimeter defense on a consistent basis.
Toronto Raptors guard Ja'Kobe Walter (14) | © Petre Thomas-Imagn ImagesStandout rookie lottery pick Collin Murray-Boyles has been one of the premier players for Toronto who has missed time this season. He missed 11 games in a row due to a left thumb sprain in March and suffered a back contusion before returning to the court for the last three games. In those games, he has averaged 17.7 points per game on 65.6% shooting in 21.6 minutes (via StatMuse).
With Quickley out, the former South Carolina Gamecock has been given more opportunities to be featured in different lineups, including next to starting center Jakob Poeltl. Murray-Boyles commented on his new role and how he has approached it as the regular season comes to a close.
“[I’m] just being versatile in the sense of me being able to play with everybody,” said Murray-Boyles. “That’s the biggest thing. So I can be on the court with [Poeltl], to make me as usable as possible.”
Poeltl was forced to sit out 24 straight games earlier in the season due to a lower back strain, and the 6-foot-7, 245-pound Murray-Boyles started at center in his absence. His defensive versatility allowed him to remain effective despite the lack of size, but his offensive production did not hold up because of it. He hasn’t played many minutes outside of the center position since, but now he is proving to be more effective in a role better suited for his stature.
His strong suits on the offensive end involve attacking the basket off of cuts or in pick-and-roll actions. This will limit him from producing if he cannot evolve into at least a capable shooter from the midrange, which is also why he hasn’t played many minutes at the forward position. Now, his off-ball movement has allowed him to find open looks towards the rim, resulting in constant paint points both in the halfcourt and transition.