Blake Murphy

The Toronto Raptors went into the homes of the defending NBA champions, fell behind by 34 points early, yet showed enough fight and determination to make the Boston Celtics sweat, turning a blowout into a nail-biter.

While the Raptors entered training camp with most of the roster set in place, there were a handful of interesting choices to make at the back end. On Saturday, those decisions were made and the opening-night roster has been locked in.

There are some things the Toronto Raptors can't control right now. There are other things they are in control of every night.

With the Raptors set for a rebuild, the team's focus could be on player development and future success. For now, that could mean a return to glory for the Raptors 905. Here's how the G League squad projects to shape out this season.

Less than a year ago, Gradey Dick was on his way to Mississauga to play for Raptors 905 and looked lost. Now, he has made the stint look like it’s years behind him. He is bigger, stronger, faster, more decisive and has established himself as a key piece of this Raptors offence.

Charlie Brown Jr.'s availability is not something the Raptors 905 could have planned for until very recently.His outlook — and the Raptors’ NBA and G League outlook — shifted at fortuitous times to make this a strong fit, writes Blake Murphy.

Andrew S. Warren BS BA ∙ Blake Murphy MD ∙ Nallely Saldana-Ruiz MD ∙ Kirsten Dansey MD MPH ∙ Sara L. Zettervall MD MPH

For better or worse, every game between the Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat over the last decade has felt like a stress test on the aesthetic limits of basketball.

When the quartet of Raptors rookies took the floor together at Scotiabank Arena ten hours earlier, the situation could not have been more different.

The Raptors have never started a younger group of players than they did on Thursday.The result was a loss, but more important was the continued exposure and opportunity for an expanding handful of young players.