Late turnover, Barrett buzzer-beater lift Raptors over Cavs, force Game 7

Cleveland had the closeout chance, then lost it in the span of a few frantic possessions. A late turnover by the Cavaliers set up RJ Barrett’s game-winning 3-pointer, and Toronto escaped 112-110 in overtime at Scotiabank Arena to force a decisive Game 7 in Cleveland.

The Raptors’ season was hanging by a thread when Barrett rose for the shot that changed the series. The ball struck the back rim, climbed high above the backboard and dropped through with 1.2 seconds left in overtime, triggering a roar from the sellout crowd of 19,919. Evan Mobley still had one last chance to rescue Cleveland, but his 3-pointer at the horn bounced off the front rim and the Cavaliers walked away with a collapse instead of a clincher.

The finish fit the shape of the series, which has swung violently from one side to the other. Cleveland led 2-0 after the first two games, Toronto answered by winning Games 3 and 4, and Cleveland regained control with a 125-120 victory in Game 5. Game 6 was supposed to end the pressure, but instead it extended it, with Toronto surviving the turnover and the final shot to keep playing.

Barrett delivered the kind of night Toronto needed from its most reliable scorer. He finished with 24 points, just below the 24.3 points per game he had averaged entering the night in the postseason, and repeatedly kept the Raptors within reach until the final sequence. The shot itself carried the kind of theatrical bounce that can define a playoff run, and ESPN noted its resemblance to Kawhi Leonard’s unforgettable 2019 winner for Toronto.

Now the burden shifts back to Cleveland, which will host Game 7 on Sunday, May 3, 2026. After letting a closeout opportunity slip through a turnover, a missed chance in overtime and a final 3-point attempt that would not fall, the Cavaliers face a deciding game that will test composure as much as talent.