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Josh Lewenberg @jlewenberg.bsky.social · 9h

Start spreading the news, b****es: the Raptors have their first preseason win.

Josh Lewenberg @jlewenberg.bsky.social · 10h

Collin Murray-Boyles' second NBA (preseason) game: 12 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 blocks, 4-8 FG, 1-2 3P, +9 in 23 minutes.

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Josh Lewenberg @jlewenberg.bsky.social · 10h

CMB blocks a Malik Monk 3, leaks out for the dunk in transition, finishes through contact and converts the 3-point play at the line. Yessir. 👀

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Josh Lewenberg @jlewenberg.bsky.social · 10h

Great Walter minutes to start the 3rd quarter. Raptors have a 36-13 edge in bench points. Looking like a deeper team again (and that's without two of the regular starters). If Ja'Kobe and Mogbo are your 11th and 12th men in a healthy rotation... you're in pretty good shape.

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Josh Lewenberg @jlewenberg.bsky.social · 11h

CMB and Walter open the second half in place of the two fill-in starters, Mogbo and Agbaji. The three regular starters - Ingram, Barrett and Quickley - join them.

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Josh Lewenberg @jlewenberg.bsky.social · 11h

Ingram and Barrett through 1.5 preseason: 69 points in 74 combined minutes

I'll admit, I was more skeptical about their fit than Ingram/Barnes. Too early to judge either pairing but really like how BI and RJ are playing off each other so far. Sure helps that they're hitting their 3s (11-for-18).

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Josh Lewenberg @jlewenberg.bsky.social · 11h

Now, THIS is the version of Gradey Dick that the Raptors need. Nice to see him bounce back after a rough showing in the preseason opener. Looking far more comfortable on both ends. 8 points in 5 minutes. Already a couple buckets in transition. That's more like it.

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Josh Lewenberg @jlewenberg.bsky.social · 11h

Raptors went 8-for-10 from 3-point range in the 1st quarter, with 5 different players knocking down a triple (Ingram/Barrett/CMB/Shead/Dick) & Ingram shooting a perfect 4-for-4 from deep. Darko closed the Q with a 5-man bench unit, something he didn't do until the 4th on Monday.

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Josh Lewenberg @jlewenberg.bsky.social · 11h

Next up for Collin Murray-Boyles: Domantas Sabonis.

Josh Lewenberg @jlewenberg.bsky.social · 2d

Collin Murray-Boyles' first defensive assignment as a pro: Nikola Jokic. Welcome to the NBA, rook.

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Josh Lewenberg @jlewenberg.bsky.social · 11h

CMB with an above the break 3, his first as a pro. Smooth release and shot it without hesitation. He missed his 3 attempts in the opener, but nice to see him firing them up with confidence. Instant impact on both ends of the floor tonight.

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Josh Lewenberg @jlewenberg.bsky.social · 12h

See ya never (next year) Yanks!

Jays are off to the ALCS for the first time since 2016. Leafs win their season opener. Brandon Ingram has 14 of the Raptors' first 20 points tonight. LFG!

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Josh Lewenberg @jlewenberg.bsky.social · 12h

Brandon Ingram has more 3s in 2 minutes tonight than the Yankees have runs in 8 innings.

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Josh Lewenberg @jlewenberg.bsky.social · 12h

Playoff baseball, baby!

two men in suits and ties are standing next to each other in a room .

ALT: two men in suits and ties are standing next to each other in a room .

media.tenor.com

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Josh Lewenberg @jlewenberg.bsky.social · 12h

Barnes is out with left knee tendinopathy/tendinitis. Poeltl still dealing with back spasms as well as an illness.

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Josh Lewenberg @jlewenberg.bsky.social · 13h

In addition to Poeltl (sore back), Scottie Barnes is listed as out for the Raptors in Sacramento tonight. Agbaji takes his spot with the starters. Mogbo starts again in place of Poeltl.

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Josh Lewenberg @jlewenberg.bsky.social · 2d

One final note. The Raptors are deeper this season (and trying to win); if Gradey Dick is going to hold off the more versatile Ochai Agbaji & the younger Ja'Kobe Walter at their deepest position, he'll need to be a whole lot better than he was tonight - on both ends of the floor.

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Josh Lewenberg @jlewenberg.bsky.social · 2d

Raptors drop their preseason opener, 112-108, to Denver. Still, a lot to like: from Ingram to Barrett to Sandro and Shead. And, crucially, they scored 32 points off 31 Nuggets turnovers (and only committed 12 themselves). Good start, considering that's been the emphasis in camp.

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Josh Lewenberg @jlewenberg.bsky.social · 2d

Again, Barnes was great defensively and had 5 assists, but 6 shots, no buckets and 1 point in 19 minutes isn't going to cut it. Ingram's presence should help him in the long run but could take some time to figure out how to play off each other. A work in progress but it's early.

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Josh Lewenberg @jlewenberg.bsky.social · 2d

Regulars are done for the night. A nice debut for all 3 of the Raptors’ newcomers. 19 points in 22 minutes for Ingram. Sandro (15-6-2-2, 3 triples) stuffed the stat sheet and was better than expected defensively; looks like a solid backup big. CMB looked comfortable on both ends.

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Josh Lewenberg @jlewenberg.bsky.social · 2d

Been a long time since the Raptors have had somebody who could make something out of nothing offensively. Ingram has bailed them out on a few empty possessions tonight. Nice luxury to have. Now, the other guys have to get comfortable playing off him.

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Josh Lewenberg @jlewenberg.bsky.social · 2d

Darko went 11 deep in the 1st half, with Poeltl out. Mogbo (11 minutes) filled the Jak role with the starters. Walter (6 mins) came in early when Murray-Boyles got hurt (he returned late in the half). Otherwise, 2nd unit was as expected: Shead, Mamu, CMB, Dick, Agbaji. Ja'Kobe the 11th man.

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Josh Lewenberg @jlewenberg.bsky.social · 2d

An unusually physical opening half for the first preseason game but that's the way the Raptors want to play. Really liked their defensive pressure in the 2nd Q - forcing 12 of Denver's 16 first-half turnovers. Ingram with 13 points. Murray/Jokic with 29. Nuggets by 8 at the break.

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Josh Lewenberg @jlewenberg.bsky.social · 2d

Of course, that's why the Ingram addition should really help Barnes. Takes the pressure off him as a scorer in the half court/allows him to thrive in the areas of the game that are more natural to him: defending, creating on O, transition. Boxscore won't always relfect his value

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Josh Lewenberg @jlewenberg.bsky.social · 2d

While Ingram (10 points) has looked great, the pairing with Barnes is still a work in progress offensively. Scottie's only attempted 3 shots in 12 minutes and doesn't have a bucket. That said, he's picked up where he left off defensively; has been awesome on that end.

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Josh Lewenberg @jlewenberg.bsky.social · 2d

Those Nuggets bigs gotta keep their elbows away from Scottie's face.

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