Barrett's rim-bouncing 3-pointer forces Raptors-Cavs Game 7
Toronto Raptors forward RJ Barrett hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds left to give his team a 112-110 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 6 of their first-round NBA playoff series on May 1, 2026, at Scotiabank Arena. The shot bounced nearly seven feet off the back of the rim before dropping through, overcoming a 110-109 deficit with 10.9 seconds remaining. Evan Mobley's last-second 3-point attempt for Cleveland missed off the front rim as time expired, extending Toronto's season.
Barrett inbounded the ball to teammate Scottie Barnes, who advanced to the free-throw line before passing back to Barrett at the top of the key. Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic described the moment: "It was only half a second, but it felt like an eternity. I was happy for him, for this team, for this city, that the shot went down." Barrett added: "I thought it was still good because it went straight up. When it goes straight up, you have a chance."
Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson said: "Sometimes the basketball gods aren’t with you." The Cavaliers held a 3-2 series lead entering the game. Atkinson looked ahead: "This is why you fight so hard to get home-court advantage. We knew this wasn’t going to be easy. This is the playoffs, this is what it’s about. We’ve got to recover and get ready for Sunday’s game." Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell emphasized: "Protect home court. It doesn’t matter if we lost by 30 or two, protect home court. That’s all you can do."
The dramatic finish evoked Kawhi Leonard's four-bounce buzzer-beater that eliminated Philadelphia in Game 7 of the 2019 Eastern Conference semifinals. Game 7 is set for Sunday at 7:30 p.m. ET in Cleveland.