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Chris Boucher · On one of the rare nights in which his shot wouldn’t drop, Chris Boucher dedicated himself to offsetting it in the best possible way: making the feeling mutual on the Philadelphia 76ers’ side. Poised, versatile, and prepared to live up to his two-time NBA title-winning reputation, Toronto’s eight-year veteran sniffs out Eric Gordon’s intent to drive from a mile away, speeding over to position himself for a barricading of the rim. Through one acrobatic but well-balanced leap, Boucher erases the dunk attempt entirely, earning well-deserved chest bumps for his defensive demonstration. Boucher’s high-alert play was, in some ways, a tone-setter for the Toronto Raptors, as they accumulated 24 “stocks” — steals plus blocks — during victory No. 1 of the 2024-25 regular season. Chipping in everywhere, the gifted big man deposited four points, three rebounds, two steals, four blocks, and five contested shots on October 25, 2024. · State of Mint