After making a strong impact through the first two and a half quarters, his presence was greatly missed to finish the game.
The Toronto Raptors began their five-game road trip by falling 110-93 Sunday night to the Los Angeles Lakers in Crypto.com Arena. For the Lakers, it was free-agent signee Deandre Ayton who made his impact felt, adding 25 points and 13 rebounds on a perfect 10-for-10 shooting to match a box plus/minus of +20. He became the first player in the Lakers’ 80-year franchise history to record a 25/10 game on 100% shooting and no turnovers (via Real App).
All-Stars Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram gave a valiant effort to defeat LA by contributing 41 points, 15 rebounds, 10 assists, and four steals combined. However, it was the rookie Collin Murray-Boyles whose presence was the most felt, recording three blocks on five-time First-Team All-NBA member Luka Doncic; he also added 11 points, seven rebounds, and five assists in 25 minutes.
Toronto Raptors forward Collin Murray-Boyles
© Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
Murray-Boyles exited the game in the third quarter after being hit in the thumb by Doncic. An update was provided on his X-rays after the game.
After the loss to the Lakers, Murray-Boyles’ X-rays were negative for major injury, and he has been diagnosed with a thumb contusion. After an initial diagnosis of a thumb sprain, the severity appears to be less severe than expected, although his status for Tuesday’s game against the Golden State Warriors is questionable.
While his counting stats didn’t jump off the sheet, the former No. 9 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft was making a major impact defensively, specifically on Doncic, who currently leads the league in points per game. At the time of his departure, the Raptors were down just one point and went on to be outscored 39-23. While his presence may not have been the sole factor in the poor play from Toronto, it was evident that his teammates were deflated seeing him exit.
The rookie was slow to find significant minutes for a successful Raptors team early this season, but with consistent injuries to the starting lineup, he has started to find a rhythm on both sides of the ball. In his last eight games, the former South Carolina Gamecock has averaged 11.1 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.5 steals, and 1.4 blocks on 56.7% shooting.
With the NBA trade deadline rapidly approaching, the increased strong play from Murray-Boyles and second-year guard Jamal Shead will have an impact on who may be on the way out to obtain a bigger star. Toronto may need to find a way to regularly have these two in the starting lineup or at least with bigger roles for their continued success beyond this season.