Barrett hits dramatic overtime winner as Raptors force Game 7 against Cavaliers

TORONTO: RJ Barrett delivered when it mattered most, hitting a dramatic 29-foot three-pointer with 1.2 seconds remaining in overtime to lift the Toronto Raptors to a 112-110 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers and force a decisive Game 7 in their first-round NBA playoff series.

Barrett’s shot bounced high off the rim before dropping, sealing the win in a moment that immediately drew comparisons to some of the league’s most memorable playoff finishes. It echoed Kawhi Leonard’s iconic buzzer-beater in Game 7 of the 2019 Eastern Conference semifinals, when his shot against Philadelphia bounced multiple times on the rim before falling to send Toronto through on its way to the NBA title.

It also resembled the high-arcing bounce on Tyrese Haliburton’s stepback game-winner in the 2025 Eastern Conference Finals, with Haliburton himself posting on social media that it “looked familiar.”

Barrett acknowledged that comparison himself when describing the shot.

“I still knew it was good because it went straight up,” he said. “Like, you know, if it goes straight up, you’ve got a chance, like that Halliburton shot.”

Barrett finished with 24 points and nine rebounds, delivering the decisive moment despite not scoring in the fourth quarter or overtime prior to the final possession.

“I didn’t make anything the whole fourth quarter or overtime. So for that shot to drop,” he added.

Toronto’s response was built on collective effort throughout, led by Scottie Barnes, who recorded a double-double with 25 points and 14 assists, along with seven rebounds.

Barnes explained the decision-making on the final possession.

“I was just trying to score. They did a good job of stopping me and brought help, so I trusted my teammate,” Barnes said,