Transcription
The Raptors have clawed their way back, and now they're in position to take control of this series against the Cavs. Scotty Barnes is playing like a bonafide superstar. RJ Barrett has stepped up in a big way. Jamal Shed can't stop making winning plays.
But the real story, a 20-year-old rookie who's completely shifted the trajectory of this team and this series. In today's video, brought to you by Prize Picks, we're going to figure out how Colin Murray Boils changed everything for the Raptors. That starts on defense. Between his energy and versatility, it really feels like he's everywhere.
On this play, he's matched up with Mobly up top. And what the Cavs want to do is bring Struse to the ball. He blows that up by applying pressure and knocking it out of Mob's hands. Then he slides his feet to cut off a drive. They reset with Shruder, who draws help from the corner on a drive, only for Murray Boils to rotate to that corner and erase the kickout pass before getting back to Moi at the top of the key.
And this is all made possible by a non-stop motor. He never takes plays off, even if it's something subtle like stunting at the ball to make Mitchell think twice about shooting a jumper. It feels like he's always in the right place at the right time.
This time, you're going to see the Raptor zone up the ball in an effort to get it out of Mitchell's hands. That leaves Shooter with space to attack from the wing, and Murray Boils is ready to help if needed. Instead, they want to post up Moley only for him to break up the entry pass. Disruptive is a word I'd use to describe his defensive game. The energy and speed play a role in that. He's also got good enough hands to completely blow up possessions. In his first season, he averaged four and a half deflections every 36 minutes, the 19th most of any player and first among rookies.
That's carried right into this series where even if he's not picking up a deflection, just the threat of him being there and being active forces the Cavs to look elsewhere, which brings me back to what I said about him disrupting the flow of the offense. The Raptors aren't afraid to get aggressive with their coverages. But this time they trap Harden in the corner and he thinks he can drop it off to Struse, but Murray Boils has the speed to jump into position and get a hand on the pass.
His ability to cover ground is a legitimate superpower. How many guys in the league can leave their feet at the rim then burst into a full sprint to run a shooter out of the corner? Granted, it was a botched kickout pass which bought him time to recover, but this sort of range as an athlete isn't normal. And it allows him to be a roll chameleon. Meaning on one play he's capable of crossmatching onto Shooter in transition, sliding his feet, and opening up his hips to stay glued to a drive. Then on another, he's capable of matching up with Moy in the post, absorbing contact, holding his ground, and contesting him at the rim.
This is all made possible by a unique set of tools. He's only 6'7 with insane hip mobility and lateral quickness. So for Mobly, it feels like he has a wing on him, somebody who can cut off every driving angle. But he also can't win with power because Murray Boils not only has a low center of gravity, he's built like a tank with the length to contest. You've probably heard the Draymond comparisons, and I'm always hesitant to call anybody Draymond, but this is a rare case of somebody actually having the tools. Positionally, he's fast enough to slide down and big enough to slide up. Usually in smaller lineups, you have to worry about closing possessions. He's so good at leveraging his center of gravity by getting into the lower body of sevenfooters on box outs. And that's helped him basically neutralize both of Cleveland's bigs on the glass. Not only does he have the positioning and strength to seal off Mobly, he has the quick leap and length to get to the ball before either him or Struce preventing a second chance opportunity.
With that said, the lack of size is still a limitation at times, especially when he's tasked with being a lone rim protector. We've seen multiple plays in this series where either Moy or Allen catch the ball within 5 ft of the basket and just go right over Murray Boils like he isn't even there. He also lacks the ability to eat up space in the paint, which stands out in one-on-one situations where he has to cover both the ball and the dunker.
Take this play for example. Harden gets around his man and CMB does an incredible job of baiting a lob before dropping back to go up and get it, but Harden puts it where only Moby can reach. This read is a Draymond staple. How many times over the last decade have we seen him take a jab at the ball to bait a pass before breaking up a lob? CMB did everything right. Harden just won the battle by placing the pass perfectly. He didn't win them all, though.
This time, you're going to see him gamble, fully committing to the ball instead of trying to play the one-on-one. And he's able to blow up the possession. These are high-risk, high-reward plays. It's clear that he trusts his instincts, his athleticism, and his hands to completely erase advantages. A lack of size can't be attacked at the rim if the ball never gets there. And that's what makes CMBB such an impactful defensive big.
Remember what I said about his energy, never taking plays off. That stands out most behind the play where he's always active and engaged with his positioning. Notice how he closes to the gap here. He's ready to play a pass to Moy, but still quick enough to slide down into a driving lane and peel switch onto Wade. Here's another example. He's aggressively playing the gap. So Harden doesn't have much room to attack. When the ball gets to Moy, he slides his feet and bumps him off his path to keep him away from the basket. Then Mitchell tries a drive and he continues to float in those gaps, not letting the ball get within 8 ft of the rim while having the range to get back to the perimeter on a closeout and contest a three.
It's pretty obvious to me that he processes the game really quickly. You'll basically never see him miss a rotation or find himself out of position. He knows how to deter drives, when to peel switch, when to take risks, and that gives this Toronto defense more room for error. For example, the Raptors want to switch this screen, but Mobly does a great job of pinning Barnes on his backside with a ton of open space to roll into. CMBB steps up from the dunker to shut off the roll while Barnes peels onto Allen for a huge block. Mobbley gets the ball back, up fakes Barnes, and now it's his turn to meet him up top.
When he doesn't have to be in two spots at once and can just commit to a threat at the rim, he's a legit vertical presence. He may not be a 7-footer. He does however have a seven foot wingspan and he's an extremely quick two-foot leaper. At times it looks like he's just springing off the court with little to no dip. And we've already talked about his hands targeting the ball. Here's what it looks like when it all comes together. Mitchell starts to drive and he's quick to recognize the threat. He not only has the agility to beat him to the spot, but the hip mobility to change directions with him while getting up to disrupt the shot.
Like I said earlier, the way he moves is a superpower. It's one thing to be able to slide your feet or swivel your hips. He controls his momentum in space like an elite defensive guard. After jumping out to the ball, it looks like Mitchell has an angle. He immediately shifts into a backpedal while absorbing contact and somehow remains perfectly on balance. It's crazy how fast this sequence happened in real time. You just don't see bigger bodies moving with this sort of fluidity.
Here's another example. He starts this one on Mobly, switches on to Shruder, then switches on to Mitchell, who immediately looks to turn the corner. He once again cuts off the angle, decelerates to not give up separation, then strips a crossover. Not only is he capable of defending in space, coach Darko trusts him to defend at the point of attack, and so do his teammates. He can press up on a guy like Harden knowing he has the agility to stick with him on a drive, which unlocked a new defensive look for the Raptors.
The Cavs run most of their offense through the high pick and roll. Either Harden or Mitchell will come off a ball screen, read the coverage, and make decisions to counter how the rest of the defense reacts. With Yakob Purle in the game, they're forced into a more traditional coverage, either bringing him up to the level or dropping him back to the paint, which allows these guys to turn the corner with an advantage. With CMBB out there, they just switch everything. There's no numbers advantage, no lane to attack, and most importantly, no paint touch, so they don't have to send any extra help. This ability to switch across the board has stagnated Cleveland's offense in many crucial moments, especially in games three and four. They're looking for an advantage, but getting the big switched onto the ball isn't one. They end up wasting the entire clock just looking for the matchup they want. Yet, CMBB's still there playing the gap. And with no movement or pressure, Harden has to try bailing them out with a jumper.
Because of how effective the switching has been, for the most part, the Cavs have actively tried to avoid him. Instead of attacking him in the primary action, they'll stick him in the dunker and run guard to guard action. The only problem is he's now in position to protect the rim.
Versatility, that's the name of CMBB's game. He can be your four or your five. He can be your low man or up in the action, switching on to some of the league's best guards. He can start at the point of attack or underneath the basket. He can jump passing lanes and force turnovers or fight all-star caliber bigs on the glass. He's a Swiss Army knife who unlocks so much for this Toronto defense.
Yet, you could still argue that in this series specifically, it's been his offense that's stolen the show. Before we get into that, though, I want to thank Prize Picks for sponsoring today's video. If you know you can play responsibly and you have the means to do so, Prize Pix is America's number one app for sports picks. So, if you're looking for a place to get in on these NBA playoffs, use code HMA and get started. Game five is on the horizon. And I know we haven't talked about the offense just yet, but CMBB's role keeps growing as he's made his presence felt, going for more than 21 and a half Pas in every game of this series. I see no reason he can't do it again. On the other side, the Raptors have taken away all of Harden's passing outlets and forced him into 15 turnovers over his last two. I think game five is when he recognizes that he's going to have to do a better job of emptying the clip. So, we're taking him for more than 20 and a half points. It's that simple. Find the stat you want, pick more or less, and you've got your lineup. If you sign up for prize picks with code HMA and play $5, you get $50 in lineups instantly. So download the app or click the link in the description to get started and let me hear your picks down in the comments.
The Raptors were one of the fastest teams in basketball this year, looking for every opportunity to get out and run. In the regular season, just under 18% of their offense came in transition, third in the league. While CMBB is not the guy running the show, his length and athleticism really pop in the open floor. After getting a stop, unless he's crashing the glass, he's quick to get out, consistently beating other bigs down the court. And that's a big deal because when he's in the game for Purle, they've got five weapons. That's a lot to deal with as a defense that's just trying to get set. It's been especially prominent in this series where half court offense has been inconsistent. A great way to get points on the board while struggling is to speed things up, especially in game four. Neither team could buy a bucket. Then with about 5 minutes left in the first half, he leaked out for a big-time finish that gave them some momentum and kicked off their biggest run of the game.
Going back to that number for a second though, if 18% of your offense is coming in transition, the other 82% is in the half court, and that's where Toronto starts to run into some issues. During CMBB's two seasons at South Carolina, he only attempted 39 threes and made 23% of them. Not exactly the most impressive profile as an outside shooter. In year one with the Raptors, he only attempted 50, less than one a game. So, the improvement to 34% is pretty insignificant. In the playoffs, he's 0 for three. It just isn't a factor right now, which raises concerns when it comes to lineup construction. How can you build an offense around an undersized big who can't shoot unless you have an unreal collection of shooters? The Raptors don't have that, and there's not much of anything projecting shooting development anytime soon. He's consistently hovered around the mid to high 60s on free throws, and he hasn't really shown the ability to make mid-range jumpers, let alone threes.
However, he's really been working on adding this push shot to his arsenal. In this series, it's been a pretty reliable counter for when Mobly or Allen sag way off of him to protect the paint. As of right now, this isn't a consistently efficient shot for him. I think it could be in the future, though. Not just because I think he's got the touch for it, but because of how confident he already looks going to it, and that's something that's radiating from Murray Boils right now. Confidence. It's grown throughout the season and it's at an all-time high.
When he catches the ball in space, he could settle for a jumper, maybe get to that push shot or move the ball. He sees defensive anchor Jared Allen and decides to drive right through his chest to create an opportunity at the rim. He didn't convert, but the assertion in this attack and the ability to move Allen like that. Let me remind you that he's a rookie. He's still figuring out how to use his body. Yet, he's staring down the reigning defensive player of the year and telling him that he's not big enough and he's not a one-trick pony.
When he gets the ball in the middle of the floor, he's actually more of a threat to pass, especially to cutters. He's always looking for layups. If he adds the push shot as a consistent tool, Biggs are going to have to at least step up a little bit. Then, between the driving and the passing, you see the roots of someone who can run offense from the middle. As of right now, he's more of a connector. They want to post up Barnes against Mitchell, but RJ can't get the ball there. So CB flashes to the middle for a better passing angle. And when the Cavs scram switch that gives Scotty a window to attack the basket. I think there's a lot more to his on ball game. Even in this series, there have been flashes. With Allen sitting way back, they bring him around a handoff to curl into open space. He actually gets cut off, but he's so powerful that it doesn't even matter. Just think about what this could look like in a few years. Obviously, that's a conversation about his development.
For the time being, he's almost exclusively playing without the ball, and that's where the spacing concerns show up. If he's on the perimeter, defenses aren't going to treat him like a threat to score, and his teammates aren't going to view him as an option to kick the ball to. But because he's an undersized big, it's not always as easy as just sticking him in the dunker spot. Now Allen's in position to rotate and protect the rim. However, what we've seen from CMBB is that he already has a great understanding of how to space the floor without being a shooting threat. That's the result of two key strengths.
First is that quick two-foot leaping ability I talked about. It's subtle because he's not putting somebody on a poster, but the way he's able to spring off the floor from any foot angle and get to the peak of his vert just throws off the timing of rim protectors, and it allows him to beat them to certain spots in the air. For example, when Shed's three pops up, he's the first to get to it. Then there's the second jump, springing right back off the floor to finish. That entire sequence started with his second key strength, his feel for moving without the ball.
When Ingram starts to drive, he's ready to dive baseline, but Allen turns Ingram away, so he hangs out in the short corner. Then after a pass to Shed, he floats into open space on the block, which gives him inside position on Harden. From there, he can rely on his impressive athleticism to capitalize on a second chance opportunity. In theory, it's easy to help off of a non-shooter when he's on the perimeter. He isn't a threat to score, but when he's a master of finding seams in the defense and doing things like this, it isn't that simple. He knows how to create opportunities for himself with his positioning. Then he not only has the verticality to finish over rim protectors, but the strength, body control, and touch to finish through contact that allows him to have a simple role on offense. Toronto's got guys who can put pressure on the paint. Then he'll play off of them by floating into little pockets of space, making himself a constant target.
This brings me back to what I said about him processing the game. It's subtle, but he just always knows exactly where to be, when to get there, and how to finish. Here's a great example. As soon as Scotty starts to create an advantage driving baseline, CMBB floats to the middle of the paint to make himself a target. From there, he's both a passing option and a threat to get on the glass, just dominating the interior. I do want to make a clear distinction between him and some other bigs who primarily play from the dunker. While some of those guys are limited to opportunities where they can catch and immediately finish, CMB is a lot more versatile. You'll often see him float near the elbows. And if he gets the ball there, he's still a huge threat to finish because of how good he is at eating up space. He makes crowded situations look open. When he catches the ball, he's got Ellis on his left hip and Allen on his right. Both in between him and the basket with a quick power dribble right into the chest of Allen. He gets in front of the rim. Then there's the quick leap to beat him up top.
Some of these plays remind me of Zion Williamson. Not just because he's an undized big lefty, but because of the way he'll catch the ball within 10 ft, immediately go to a power move, and finish through traffic. Granted, it's a different tier of athleticism with Zion being a genetic anomaly and all. What I'm focused on though is the energy transfer. First, it's a power dribble into the body of a big to move him and throw off his timing. Then, it's a quick two-foot leap to create a finishing window. CMBB is doing this to two of the best rim protectors in the NBA as a 20-year-old. It's just ridiculously impressive stuff, and it unlocks a lot of different setups for the Raptors. For example, you'll sometimes see him start in the slot. He's not a threat to shoot, but he is a threat to dive at the rim and glide into a layup. Remember, the whole idea here is that he's spacing the floor without shooting regardless of where he's at on the court. It's tough to leave him, especially for a team with smaller wings like the Cavs. Naturally, he's got a bit of a gravitational pull. Allen leaves him to help in the post. So, both Shooter and Wade crowd the baseline to not let him catch the ball in close. That leaves the weak side unoccupied, and they end up with a great look from the corner.
Everything I've talked about also gives him a ton of utility as a pick and roll big. If the ball handler turns the corner with an advantage, the opposing defense is forced to make some tough decisions and CMBB knows how to create those advantages at the point of attack. Notice how it looks like he's going to screen high. Then at the last second, he drops his position to completely trap Ellis. Now RJ is turning the corner with a two-on-one advantage, and Moby has to protect the rim from both the ball and the roll. He plays it about as well as you can, yet doesn't get the stop anyways. I think in the pick and roll is where his feel for the game stands out most. His understanding of angles as a screener and how he times up his roll just isn't normal stuff.
Here's a great example of what I'm talking about. When Shed comes off a ball screen from Sandro, he doesn't want to clog up the spacing, so he instinctively goes to set a flare screen. Then once the middle of the floor clears out, he goes to set a low ball screen for Shed, but instead of just setting the screen, he spins in front of Harden, creating an opportunity to catch and finish at the rim. It's all about reading each situation. Sometimes it makes sense to slip early. Sometimes it makes sense to hold the screen, then wait a second, timing up his roll perfectly with Ingram's drive to create that one-on-one. Ingram misses him on a lob, but he's still able to get the ball and draw a foul. Bigs are constantly forced into stressful situations when he's screening. The angle pushes hard and out. Then he times his roll perfectly to get parallel with the ball. Allen has to choose, CMBB or RJ. It isn't just about creating space for himself. It's about creating space for the ball handler. He knows exactly where to position his body and how to angle his screen to make sure Ingram can get free. And he'll do the exact same thing after rolling. When R.J. starts to work downhill, he just barrels into Allen to set a Gortat screen, leaving R.J. with a lane to get to the rim. Allen has to help late. Then there's nobody to keep CMBB off the glass, creating a second chance opportunity that eventually finds its way back to the paint for easy points. This is why I'll continue to say that he doesn't play like a normal rookie.
Here's another one where he spins into a roll to trap the point of attack defender and force a switch. He wants to post up the mismatch, but R.J.'s already driving, so he seals off Ellis to create a runway. I promise you, if you tune into a random Raptors game, you're going to wonder how he's always in the right spot at the right time. There's a process behind it. This time, it's really subtle, but when he sets a screen and rolls, he makes sure to roll in front of Allen to establish inside position. Now, when a shot goes up, he can use that quick leaping ability to beat Allen to the ball and create a second chance, which ends up in the hands of RJ for a great look from three.
It's hard to overstate the value of offensive rebounding. Extra opportunities are always good, and he's grabbed 10 offensive rebounds in the last two games. Over the entire series, he's averaging more than four and a half every 75 possessions. And that's without even getting into all of the plays where he creates a second chance by fighting for a rebound, even if he's not the one grabbing it. Because he's so good on the glass, the Cavs can't get away with putting smaller players on him, which is a pretty underrated asset for Toronto's offense in the grand scheme of things. And it's kind of poetic. On one end of the floor, he's the key to unlocking a switch heavy scheme. On the other, he prevents it from working, and it's a function of everything we've talked about, from the feel to get in position to the quick leaping ability to go up and get it. You could make the argument that his offensive rebounding won them game four. Earlier, I referenced the play where he floated into the paint for a putback. That sequence happened while down two possessions with 5 and a half minutes left in the game. Then a few minutes later, they were once again down five when he grabbed a second chance opportunity, then kicked it back out to Ingram for a huge three to cut the lead to two. Once they got the lead, we got the possession. Murray Boils versus Mitchell one-on-one for the game. A 20-year-old rookie big locking up one of the games best creators.
That last sequence completely embodies the unique impact of Colin Murray Boils. The guy's just a winner. That's the best way of putting it. He comes off the bench and you immediately notice him making an impact everywhere. Screening, cutting, rebounding, rotating, or switching on defense. Finishing plays are connecting the offense. His footprint has been all over games all season. And it's been all over these four playoff games. In this series, he's averaging 25 points every 75 possessions on 68% true shooting, which actually is something we've never seen from a rookie in NBA history.
It's so much more than scoring, though. He's influencing the possession battle, which is a big deal because they've been both the better rebounding and turnover team in this series. He's completely disrupted the flow of Cleveland's offense while helping his team get out and run in transition. And he's still got so much room for improvement. What we're seeing right now is his breakout as a play finisher. He can still get stronger, quicker, and more explosive with a few years of NBA level training. He's still developing his handle, his passing reads, and his push shot. I think there's something to these on ball flashes. All of this is secondary to his defensive prowess, though. He's going to be a perennial member of the alldefensive team and probably get some defensive player of the year votes over the next decade. The total package to me screams All-Star. The question is, what caliber of all-star? We don't know just yet, but what I do know is that the Raptors have found something with this core. More specifically, the duo of CMBB and Scotty Barnes. His play as a 20-year-old rookie has changed everything for Toronto. Not just in the present, helping them get in position to potentially win a playoff series, but in the future, a true franchise cornerstone.