The basketball gods have blessed the Toronto Raptors with yet another fortuitous playoff bounce off the fingertips of RJ Barrett.
The Raptors trailed 110-109 in overtime with just over 10 seconds left in Game 6 of their first-round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Canada. With their season on the line, Scottie Barnes drew a double team and kicked it out to Barrett for a top-of-the-key three-point look.
The Toronto native’s shot hit off the back of the rim at the most perfect angle. The ball bounced as high as the shot clock and fell right through the net in a moment that had every Raptors fan flashing back to the Kawhi Leonard shot in 2019.
RJ BARRETT WHEN TORONTO NEEDED HIM MOST 🔥
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 2, 2026
The hometown hero drains the game-winning bucket in overtime to force Game 7 🥶 pic.twitter.com/D2AJbSiA5M
Evan Mobley’s desperation shot with 1.2 seconds left was offline, allowing pandemonium to take over in Toronto.
Here’s another angle of the second-most important bounce shot in Raptors history.
Just wow pic.twitter.com/I5YgiYjTZy
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) May 2, 2026
Barrett was in the midst of a brutal fourth quarter and overtime before he hit the decisive shot. He had missed all six of his shot attempts and committed three turnovers, but all was forgiven thanks to one lucky bounce that came straight from the heavens.
The hometown hero finished with 24 points and 9 rebounds, while Scottie Barnes had 25 points and 14 assists to force a Game 7 in Cleveland.
