"From the opening tip Toronto was in control of this game, and their swarming defense stifled Atlanta from getting going in the opening minutes. Brandon Ingram had one of his best defensive games, he was pretty attentive as a help defender, more specifically as a weak side helper at the rim, sliding into the lane and using his slinky-like arms to swat alley-oop attempts and would-be layups out of the air."
"His defense was incredible as well, he kept Atlanta off the glass, he was switching out onto the perimeter at will, but his paint defense, especially for a rookie, is just outstanding. You couldn't venture into the paint without CMB putting a body on you, and really making you work for your shot. His passing was also great, and the ball flowed through him effortlessly as he would almost immediately make the proper read."
Toronto leveraged consecutive-game familiarity to craft a targeted game plan and dominated Atlanta with connected offense and stifling defense. Scottie Barnes and Collin Murray-Boyles limited Jalen Johnson while Toronto finished with 34 assists and seven players in double figures. Brandon Ingram played elite help defense, protecting the rim and disrupting alley-oops. Murray-Boyles showcased size, length, touch and versatility with creative finishes, perimeter shooting, transition scoring, strong rebounding presence and high-level passing. His switching ability and paint defense kept Atlanta off the glass and forced difficult shots. The combination of coordinated defense and balanced scoring produced a comprehensive team victory.
Read at Raptors Republic
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