NBA: RJ Barrett Hits Buzzer-Beater to Save Toronto Raptors and Force Game 7 vs Cavaliers (112-110) [3-3]

TORONTO. The Toronto Raptors survived a dramatic NBA playoff finish, defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers 112-110 in overtime thanks to a clutch three-pointer by RJ Barrett with 1.2 seconds remaining. The victory allows Toronto to tie the first-round Eastern Conference series at 3-3 and force a decisive Game 7, which will be played Sunday in Cleveland.

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The game started with the Raptors playing aggressively in transition, with Scottie Barnes setting the offensive pace from the opening tip. The wing delivered a brilliant first half with 14 points and 10 assists before halftime, leading a Canadian team that constantly punished Cleveland's turnovers and found advantages running the floor.

Toronto built significant leads thanks to their defensive intensity and ability to accelerate the pace. The Raptors dominated transition points with a commanding 20-6 advantage and capitalized on the Cavaliers' 18 turnovers to convert those mistakes into 25 crucial points.

RJ Barrett and Ja'Kobe Walter sustained Toronto's perimeter scoring throughout much of the night. Both finished with 24 points, while Collin Murray-Boyles added 17 crucial points in a night where the Raptors had to hold on until the final moment.

Still, the game nearly slipped away from the home team. Toronto squandered an 11-point fourth-quarter lead and allowed a Cavaliers comeback led by Evan Mobley and Donovan Mitchell. Mobley completed a strong game with 26 points and 14 rebounds, while Mitchell added 24 points to keep Cleveland alive until the end.

James Harden contributed 16 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists, though he also had four turnovers and shot just 5 of 14 from the field. Jarrett Allen added 14 points and Dean Wade chipped in 10 for a Cavaliers team that had possession for a potential game-winning shot.

Overtime maintained maximum tension until the final play. With the score tied and just 1.2 seconds remaining, RJ Barrett received the ball and launched from beyond the arc. The ball hit the rim, bounced above the backboard, and fell through as the Scotiabank Arena erupted.

Cleveland still had one last chance, but Evan Mobley's three-pointer at the buzzer missed, confirming an epic victory for the Raptors.

The win maintains the trend of this NBA playoff series, where the home team has won all six games played so far. Toronto, however, now faces a major challenge: winning for the first time in Cleveland in the playoffs, where they have accumulated ten consecutive losses, including three in this series.

The Raptors also played again without Brandon Ingram, who is out with right heel soreness after being injured in Game 5. His availability for Game 7 remains uncertain.

The seventh game will decide the path to the Eastern Conference semifinals, with Cleveland looking to leverage home-court advantage again and Toronto seeking to complete one of the most impressive comebacks of these 2026 NBA playoffs.