The last time the Toronto Raptors had a spectacular defensive showing against the Golden State Warriors with a potential championship hanging the balance, it was Game 4 of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena.
Of course this was Game 4 of Summer League at the Cox Pavilion; the stakes couldn’t have been more polar opposite. Still with a playoff berth on the line, the Raptors’ heavy defensive pressure got the job done again, vaulting them to an 81-69 win and first place in the competition (on point differential).
The Raptors started the game by shorting a Jamal Shead-Collin Murray-Boyles pick n’ roll. Colin Castleton flashed and after catching middle his pass to Murray-Boyles diving to the basket was picked off. But it was good process and the first of a bunch of Shead-Murray-Boyles pick n’ roll we would see in this one.
Later Murray-Boyles set a solid step-up screen for Shead, had great timing and pace on his roll, and finished with his left after a pocket pass from his lead guard.
Amidst a serious first-half slog that saw shot making abandon both sides for significant stretches on the way to a 37-36 score, Murray-Boyles stood above the rest.
This was the Murray-Boyles game thus far. He was extraordinary. His driving prowess was on display early, as he comfortably split two defenders in semi-transition for a layup. Going the other way he acutely anticipated a short pass to the corner for a steal.
Murray-Boyles grabbed a couple offensive rebounds in the first quarter, the second of which he thoroughly outmuscled and outwilled Alex Toohey for before going back up for the putback. He finished with six offensive boards and a couple putbacks, grabbing ten extra possessions for the Raptors in total.
The ninth-overall pick’s final line was 20 points, nine rebounds, two assists and four steals. Big time.
He confidently pushed in transition off an offensive rebound, making a lay down to Ulrich Chomche under the basket, who briefly hesitated but ultimately finished.
After Alijah Martin found Chomche beyond the three-point line, the Cameroonian big made an impressive feed out of delay action, threading a bounce pass right back to Martin for a cutting layup.
But back to Murray-Boyles, who hit a pick n’ pop triple after setting yet another ball-screen for Shead. Maybe he’ll be a shooter after all.
In the absence of Jonathan Mogbo – out due to a hand sprain – the Raptors lacked some of the defensive punch they’ve built a reputation for this Summer League. But they kicked into gear in the second forcefully pressuring a shot-clock violation. First Chomche made a miraculous recovery for a block on the initial fastbreak, then Walter pressured Chris Manon all the way out above the break. Murray-Boyles joined in as they nearly mugged Manon for the ball. After the Warriors broke a trap at halfcourt the Raptors recovered denying an additional shot attempt.
On the other end Jamison Battle relocated and drove off the catch for a layup. Martin pumped and got to rim for a finish with english. After scoring only 13 points in the first quarter and trailing by double-digits, the Raptors cascaded their stops into offence to the tune of a 15-2 run, bringing the score within one at halftime.
Full court Shead pressure and Murray-Boyles help forced one of Golden State’s 30 turnovers resulting in a Martin fastbreak slam as an exclamation point on the half.
On the other side, Walter showed some stupendous shot-clock recognition after the Raptors nearly turned the ball over, half-setting and immediately turning and firing from 3 to beat the buzzer. It was his only made 3 of the game.
The Warriors went on a 11-0 run as the Raptors made mistakes and they made shots. A lot of Golden State’s offence came when they managed to kick the ball out from Toronto’s swarm of pressure and make 3s.
But boy did the Raptors have a devastating counterpunch.
It started with AJ Lawson pushing the ball off a miss, eventually going supersonic to the rim and dropping a wrap-around pass to Murray-Boyles for an up-fake and lay. Murray-Boyles then immediately pressured for a steal off the inbound and threw down a hard one-handed slam. The very next possession he converted another put-back layup. A sensational three buckets in 31 seconds for the rookie.
Lawson went for a pick six hammer, extending Toronto’s run to 14 unanswered points.
That was essentially the game, as the Raptors’ unrelenting pressure and the resulting runouts kept the Warriors safely at bay in the fourth. The Summer League trend of the Raptors iffy offence getting stuck in the mud until their garbage compactor defence thrusts them ahead continued.
And the effort was undoubtedly led by a 20-year-old rookie. Toronto’s shot makers went largely dormant in this game. Lawson went 2-of-8 from 3, Walter 1-of-9, Battle 1-of-5, and Murray-Boyles willed them to the Summer League semifinals anyway. Another step forward in the chase for a championship.