RJ Barrett played hometown hero with a miraculous game-winner in the Toronto Raptors’ must-win Game 6 clash against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday.
After Toronto’s 112-110 overtime home victory that forced a Game 7 in the first-round Eastern Conference playoff series, the NBA world voiced its disbelief at Barrett’s wild shot.
RJ Barrett’s Game 6 Heroics Send NBA World Into Frenzy
Playing without star wing Brandon Ingram (heel) and starting point guard Immanuel Quickley (hamstring), the Raptors faced a tough task extending the series, even on their home floor.
Toronto was in control for most of the evening, leading by as many as 15 points behind star forward Scottie Barnes and Barrett’s combined 49 points. However, Cleveland came storming back in the fourth quarter, with star big man Evan Mobley sending the contest into overtime on a drive with 11.6 seconds remaining.
EVAN MOBLEY TIES THE GAME WITH 11 SECONDS REMAINING 🍿 pic.twitter.com/ha9RIT1v9F
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 2, 2026
In the extra period, the Raptors appeared to be on the brink of folding, unable to match the Cavaliers’ late-game shot-making ability. Instead, with clutch defense from guard Jamal Shead and a fortunate bounce, they escaped with an unlikely victory.
With Toronto trailing 110-109 with time winding down, Barrett caught a feed from Barnes at the top of the arc and fired away. The shot was seemingly off target, as the ball bounced off the back iron. Fortunately for the 2019 No. 3 pick, it went straight up in the air before finding its way into the basket with 1.2 seconds left.
RJ BARRETT WHEN TORONTO NEEDED HIM MOST 🔥
The hometown hero drains the game-winning bucket in overtime to force Game 7 🥶 pic.twitter.com/D2AJbSiA5M
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 2, 2026
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The Cavaliers were ultimately unable to get a good look off on the other end, with Mobley hoisting an off-balance 3-pointer at the buzzer that came up short.
Barrett’s season-saving triple, which tied the series 3-3, quickly took the NBA community by storm on X, sparking shocked reactions.
“RJ BARRETT INSANE GAME-WINNER TO FORCE GAME 7 OMG 😱🚨 WHAT. A. SHOT,” Bleacher Report erupted.
RJ BARRETT INSANE GAME-WINNER TO FORCE GAME 7 OMG 😱🚨
WHAT. A. SHOT. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/jKpkqPW6y3
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 2, 2026
“A MIRACLE SHOT BY RJ BARRETT!” ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel exclaimed.
A MIRACLE SHOT BY RJ BARRETT!
— Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA) May 2, 2026
“RJ BARRETT HOW DID THAT HAPPEN OMG,” Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor questioned.
RJ BARRETT HOW DID THAT HAPPEN OMG
— Kevin O’Connor (@KevinOConnor) May 2, 2026
“Couldn’t be happier for Mississauga’s RJ Barrett,” SNY’s Ian Begley lauded Barrett.
Couldn’t be happier for Mississauga’s RJ Barrett: pic.twitter.com/CSxTgm7TF2
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) May 2, 2026
“That is the coolest f**king thing to happen to RJ Barrett, man. What a shot. What a series. Raptors are going to Game 7 in Cleveland,” The Athletic’s Esfandiar Baraheni declared.
That is the coolest fucking thing to happen to RJ Barrett, man.
What a shot. What a series. Raptors are going to Game 7 in Cleveland.
— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) May 2, 2026
The undermanned fifth-seeded Raptors will now travel to Cleveland for a do-or-die Game 7 showdown on Sunday. The Raptors have yet to win a road game in the series, with both teams defending their home court, presenting a daunting challenge for Toronto to pull off the upset.
