The rugged, 6-foot-8 forward shot just 5-of-39 on threes during his two college seasons, but was 3-of-4 against the Rockets and is 6-of-9 in his past two games. And it's tough, nimble and physical defence that's his calling card. "I think he did amazing," said Barnes of Murray-Boyles' first start. "He's shooting the ball with confidence, he's doing a great job setting the screen and rolling ... and the physicality that he brings to this team, we need that."
But the good things couldn't make up for the main thing: the Raptors don't have enough quality size to match up with some of the teams they've been facing this past week. Dallas, with its twin towers lineup of Anthony Davis and Derek Lively, San Antonio with 7-foot-5 Victor Wembanyama patrolling the paint and especially the Rockets, whose front line went six-foot-11, six-foot-11 and 6-foot-10 and also included six-foot-seven Amen Thompson -- their uber athletic point guard who only plays like he's six-foot-10. And then there's Steven Adams, the six-foot-11, 265-pound Kiwi center who has held down the unofficial title as the NBA's strongest man since he entered the league in 2013-14, who often plays with Alperen Sengun and Kevin Durant, making the Rockets line even bigger.