On a night when the Raptors desperately needed a spark on the glass-especially with Jakob Poeltl still sidelined-rookie forward Collin Murray-Boyles stepped up in a big way. The ninth overall pick turned in his most impressive performance yet, grabbing a career-high 13 rebounds in Toronto’s win over the Heat. And it wasn’t just about the numbers-it was how he got them that made this one stand out.
Nine of those boards came on the offensive end. Yes, nine.
That’s not just hustle-that’s dominance in the trenches. It’s the highest single-game offensive rebound total by any Raptor this season, and fittingly, it comes from the No. 9 pick in the draft.
Murray-Boyles added 11 points to notch his first career double-double, and while the stat line was impressive, the energy he brought was even more valuable for a Raptors squad that’s been looking for answers off the bench.
Toronto's second unit has struggled to find consistency lately, but Murray-Boyles brought his hard hat and went to work. Whether it was crashing the boards, diving for loose balls, or battling through contact in the paint, he played like a guy who understands what this team needs right now-and more importantly, how he can provide it.
He finished the night with 11 points, 13 rebounds, three steals, and a block while shooting an efficient 5-of-9 from the field, including 1-of-2 from deep. It was the kind of all-around effort that coaches love and teammates feed off of. For a rookie still finding his footing in the league, this was a statement performance.
And the timing couldn’t have been better. The Raptors snapped a two-game skid with the win in Miami, giving them a 2-0 lead in the four-game season series-both wins coming on the road.
This also marked their 10th road win of the season, a milestone they didn’t reach until late March last year. That’s a sign of growth, both in terms of maturity and execution away from home.
Toronto now gets a couple of days to regroup before heading to Washington for a Boxing Day matchup with the Wizards. But for now, this win was about more than just ending a short losing streak-it was about a young player stepping up, filling a need, and showing flashes of the kind of impact he can have moving forward.
If Collin Murray-Boyles can keep bringing this kind of energy and production, the Raptors might have found themselves a real difference-maker in the frontcourt.