Haliburton Draws Comparison to Barrett’s Game-Winning Shot for Raptors
Tyrese Haliburton draws comparison to Barrett’s game-winning shot for Raptors after RJ Barrett’s unlikely OT three forced a Game 7 in Toronto.
The Toronto Raptors forced a decisive Game 7 in dramatic fashion when RJ Barrett buried a bouncing, back-rim three in overtime to give Toronto a 112-110 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 6. The finish, which saw the ball carom off the back of the rim before dropping through, kept the Raptors’ season alive and produced immediate reaction across the league. (sportsnet.ca)
Barrett’s backboard bounce caps tense Game 6
RJ Barrett finished with 24 points and grabbed nine rebounds as the Raptors edged the Cavaliers in a game that swung back and forth across 53 minutes. The winning shot came late in overtime and followed a furious Cleveland comeback that erased Toronto’s fourth-quarter lead. Sportsnet’s broadcast replay and analysts highlighted how the ball’s high arc and back-rim trajectory echoed some of the NBA’s most memorable playoff bounces. (sportsnet.ca)
Haliburton points out a familiar finish
Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton was among the first players to note the resemblance between Barrett’s game-winner and a clutch shot he made during last year’s playoff run. Haliburton and other observers drew a near-mirror comparison to his own late-game, back-rim buzzer that similarly altered the outcome of a postseason contest, underscoring how unpredictable bounce plays can decide playoff nights. (sportingnews.com)
The physics of a ‘Raptors-style’ bounce
Analysts dissected the final possession and pointed to arc, spin and rim contact as the decisive elements that turned a contested three into a season-extending bucket. The ball’s trajectory sent it high and angular onto the back rim, producing the dramatic ricochet that a crowd of 20,000-plus at Scotiabank Arena erupted over. Moments like these fuel the mythology of playoff basketball: small margins, tiny angles and a single bounce separating elimination from extended life. (si.com)
Social media and league-wide reaction
Within minutes of the buzzer, clips of Barrett’s shot circulated on social platforms and drew comparisons to other franchise-defining moments, including Kawhi Leonard’s 2019 buzzer-beater in Toronto. Fans and commentators tagged the sequence as one of the season’s iconic playoff plays, while players from around the league — including Haliburton — reacted publicly, amplifying the moment’s reach. (sportsnet.ca)
What this means for the series and Game 7 timing
Toronto’s victory forces a winner-take-all Game 7, scheduled for Sunday, May 3, 2026, with the series now tied 3-3 and everything to play for on the road. The Cavaliers had pushed late in Game 6 and will carry momentum into a decisive matchup that will test both teams’ depth and execution under playoff pressure. Game 7 arrangements, including tip time and broadcast details, were confirmed by multiple outlets ahead of the weekend. (sportingnews.com)
The shot and the conversation it sparked — including Haliburton drawing comparison to Barrett’s game-winning shot for Raptors — crystallize how single possessions can reshape postseason narratives. As both teams prepare for Sunday’s finale, the memory of Friday’s backboard bounce will linger as proof that in the playoffs, fortune and fundamentals often meet at the rim.
