{"id":322316,"date":"2026-04-21T18:54:47","date_gmt":"2026-04-21T13:24:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/?p=322316"},"modified":"2026-04-21T18:54:47","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T13:24:47","slug":"murray-boyles-stepping-up-in-playoffs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/2026\/04\/21\/murray-boyles-stepping-up-in-playoffs\/","title":{"rendered":"Murray-Boyles stepping up in playoffs"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<p>CLEVELAND \u2013 When starting centre Jakob Poeltl began to struggle against the Cleveland Cavaliers again, Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic knew who to show to.<\/p>\n<p>Rookie Collin Murray-Boyles.<\/p>\n<p>Poeltl managed two points and 4 rebounds in under 10 minutes of play, not touching the court within the second half of Toronto\u2019s 115-105 loss to the Cavaliers on Monday. Murray-Boyles stepped into Poeltl\u2019s shoes, ending with 17 points, seven rebounds, a block and a steal in nearly 26 minutes of play.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s just the trust that he\u2019s put in me to let me try this with confidence,\u201d said Murray-Boyles on what Rajakovic\u2019s coaching decision meant to him. \u201cI\u2019ve tousled previously, and now the whole lot that he\u2019s been telling me previously is now starting to come back out on this series, just me attacking the ball, me being aggressive, me being myself.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad--bigbox l-article__ad c-ad--tallSticky\">\n<p>Story continues below commercial<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"l-article__part\" data-shortcode=\"related_videos\">\n<div class=\"l-inlineStories l-inlineStories--video\">\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"l-inlineStories__title\">Related Videos<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<section id=\"miniplayer-carousel\" class=\"l-videoCarousel l-videoCarousel--embed c-carousel\" data-video-carousel-play-inline=\"true\" data-video-carousel-init=\"false\" aria-label=\"Video carousel contains 10 videos.\">\n<div class=\"l-videoCarousel__inner\">\n<div class=\"l-videoCarousel__featured\">\n<div class=\"c-video c-videoPlay \" data-iframe-receiver=\"\" data-autoplay=\"\" data-displayinline-featured=\"true\" data-displayinline-type=\"video\" data-displayinline-player-id=\"miniplayer\" data-displayinline-video-id=\"11806034\" data-displayinline-ratio=\"16:9\" data-displayinline=\"https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/video\/embed\/playlist\/11806034,11736470,11520120,11519608,11499192,11272226,11267415,11265148,11264380,11194605\/?poster=https%3A%2F%2Fi1.wp.com%2Fmedia.globalnews.ca%2Fvideostatic%2Fnews%2Fb2wkul1jpo-ylkk0xdczi%2FGNMNHLANDNBAPLAYOFFSSTILL.jpg%3Fw%3D1200%26quality%3D70%26strip%3Dall#autoplay&#038;stickyiframe=miniplayer\" data-displayinline-playlist=\"11806034,11736470,11520120,11519608,11499192,11272226,11267415,11265148,11264380,11194605\" data-displayinline-sticky=\"true\" data-permutive-data='{\"content\":{\"name\":\"NHL, NBA playoffs kick-off this weekend\",\"type\":\"video\",\"sections\":[\"videos\",\"toronto\",\"sports\"],\"keywords\":[\"global-news-morning\",\"montreal-canadiens\",\"playoffs\",\"short-clip\",\"toronto-raptors\",\"global-news-morning-toronto\"],\"iab\":{\"categories\":[\"Sports\/Team Sports\/Basketball\",\"Sports\",\"Sports\/Team Sports\"],\"tags\":[\"Basketball\",\"Cleveland\",\"Cleveland Cavaliers\",\"Collin Murray-Boyles\",\"Concentration\",\"Darko Rajakoviu0107\",\"Donovan Mitchell\",\"Evan Mobley\",\"Jakob Pu00f6ltl\",\"James Harden\",\"Jarrett Allen\",\"National Basketball Association\",\"NBA playoffs\",\"Playoffs\",\"Power forward\",\"Rebound (basketball)\",\"Rocket Arena\",\"Rookie\",\"Scotiabank\",\"Scotiabank Arena\",\"The Canadian Press\",\"Toronto\",\"Toronto Raptors\"]}}}'>\n<div class=\"c-video__inner \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"c-video__placeholder\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-video__image\" alt=\"Click to play video: 'NHL, NBA playoffs kick-off this weekend'\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/media.globalnews.ca\/videostatic\/news\/b2wkul1jpo-ylkk0xdczi\/GNMNHLANDNBAPLAYOFFSSTILL.jpg?w=1040&#038;quality=70&#038;strip=all\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"\" sizes=\"auto, \" data-sizes=\"(min-width: 1040px) 1040px,(min-width: 720px) 720px,450px\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"c-video__overlay\"><\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<time class=\"c-video__duration\">4:55<\/time><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"c-video__title\">NHL, NBA playoffs kick-off this weekend<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"l-videoCarousel__glide glide \">\n<div class=\"glide__arrows c-carousel__buttons l-videoCarousel__buttons\" data-glide-el=\"controls\">\n\t<button class=\"glide__arrow glide__arrow--left c-carousel__button c-carousel__prev l-videoCarousel__button l-videoCarousel__prev c-longform-gallery__prev\" data-glide-dir=\"<\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t<span class=\"sr-only\">Previous Video<\/span><br \/>\n\t<\/button><br \/>\n\t<button class=\"glide__arrow glide__arrow--right c-carousel__button c-carousel__next l-videoCarousel__button l-videoCarousel__next c-longform-gallery__next\" data-glide-dir=\">&#8220;><\/p>\n<p>\t\t<span class=\"sr-only\">Next Video<\/span><br \/>\n\t<\/button><br \/>\n\t\t<button class=\"c-carousel__goto\" data-glide-dir=\"=0\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\"><\/button>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t<!-- video stream item --><\/p>\n<\/section><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s been a process to get so far, but I\u2019m thankful for a possibility to protect a few of one of the best guys.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-inlineSignup\" data-newsletter-inline=\"\">\n<div class=\"c-inlineSignup__image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"170\" height=\"225\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/wp-content\/themes\/shaw-globalnews\/images\/skyline\/national.jpg\" alt=\"Get daily Canada news delivered to your inbox so you'll never miss the day's top stories.\">\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-inlineSignup__content\">\n<h2 class=\"c-inlineSignup__title\">Get day by day National news<\/h2>\n<p>Get day by day Canada news delivered to your inbox so you may never miss the day&#8217;s top stories.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>A natural power forward at six-foot-seven and 245 kilos, the 20-year-old Murray-Boyles has played beyond his age in his rookie season with Toronto. The Raptors first-round pick within the 2025 draft, he averaged 8.5 points, five rebounds, and 1.9 assists within the regular season but, more importantly, showed the athleticism and physicality to protect a few of one of the best players within the NBA.<\/p>\n<p>That features a few of the biggest names in Cleveland\u2019s lineup akin to Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen, Donovan Mitchell and James Harden.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA few of (the Cavalier) lineups that they&#8217;d on the market with a number of great shooters,\u201d said Rajakovic on subbing Murray-Boyles in for Poeltl. \u201cWe desired to give you the option to modify more in pick-and-rolls and Collin was providing a greater matchup there.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad--bigbox l-article__ad c-ad--tallSticky\">\n<p>Story continues below commercial<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Although he\u2019s still a piece in progress, Rajakovic likes what he\u2019s seen from the large rookie in his first two NBA playoff games.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-tabs\">\n<p>\n\t\t\t<button role=\"tab\" class=\"c-tabs__tab c-tabs__tab--active\" type=\"button\">More on Sports<\/button><br \/>\n\t\t\t<button role=\"tab\" class=\"c-tabs__tab\" type=\"button\">More videos<\/button>\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u201cI believe he\u2019s determining intensity of (the) NBA game, determining referees and what&#8217;s a foul within the playoffs, what\u2019s not a foul. Obviously, there&#8217;s a difference there,\u201d said Rajakovic. \u201cI believed that he did a very good job for a rookie to step in there, and he didn&#8217;t flinch one moment. He didn&#8217;t back off.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m really happy with him. That is amazing for his growth.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Murray-Boyles said that his biggest takeaway from post-season basketball is that it requires increased concentration.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRealistically, the mentality shouldn\u2019t be different,\u201d said Murray-Boyles within the visitor\u2019s locker room at Rocket Arena in Cleveland. \u201cWe\u2019re attempting to play every game the identical way, regardless if it\u2019s regular season or playoffs, nevertheless it\u2019s just one other level of focus, prefer it\u2019s the largest thing, every possession matters.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Cavaliers hold a 2-0 lead within the best-of-seven series. Toronto\u2019s Scotiabank Arena will host Game 3 on Thursday and Game 4 on Sunday.<\/p>\n<p>This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 21, 2026.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<p>\n\t\t&#038;copy 2026 The Canadian Press\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>CLEVELAND \u2013 When starting centre Jakob Poeltl began to struggle against the Cleveland Cavaliers again, Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic knew who to show to. Rookie Collin Murray-Boyles. Poeltl managed two points and 4 rebounds in under 10 minutes of play, not touching the court within the second half of Toronto\u2019s 115-105 loss to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":322317,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[338],"tags":[36175,2751,9196],"class_list":["post-322316","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports","tag-murrayboyles","tag-playoffs","tag-stepping"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/322316","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=322316"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/322316\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":322319,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/322316\/revisions\/322319"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/322317"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=322316"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=322316"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=322316"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}