Raptors upset Cavaliers, Collin Murray-Boyles secures Magic Johnson NBA Playoffs feat originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Ruling the Toronto Raptors out after dropping two games to the Cleveland Cavaliers was a mistake most people had. Scottie Barnes had a historic performance to torture Donovan Mitchell and James Harden for 48 minutes. But, it was Collin Murray-Boyles who became the difference-maker when they stole Game 3. He even notched a feat that only Magic Johnson and Tony Parker touched in NBA Playoffs history.
Winning Game 3 against the Cavaliers is one thing but the Raptors decimating them with a 126-104 score was unexpected. Collin Murray-Boyles came off the bench and became the spark plug that the Raptors needed when Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett were seated. He finished the game by knocking down 11 of his 15 shots from the field to score 22 points while also grabbing eight rebounds and dropping two assists.
This efficient performance makes Murray-Boyles in NBA Playoffs history to be under 21 and score 20+ points on 70% field goal shooting. Who were the other two players? Well, their names may ring a bell — Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson and San Antonio Spurs all-time great Tony Parker, per StatMuse.
It was not just Murray-Boyles who had a generational performance in this NBA Playoffs game. Scottie Barnes also had an insane 33-point performance while sinking 64.7% of his shots from the field and dropping 11 assists. Barnes joins Fred VanVleeet as the only two Raptors to have a 30-point and 10-assist game in the NBA Playoffs.
RJ Barrett also notched 33-points while dropping five assists, grabbing five rebounds, and stealing the ball twice from the Cavaliers offense. This meant that Barrett scored his career-high in the NBA Playoffs against James Harden and Donovan Mitchell.
The North is showing out in the NBA Playoffs. Can Murray-Boyles, Barnes, and Barrett sustain their momentum to even up this Cavaliers series come Game 4?