What RJ Barrett said after Toronto Raptors season-saving bounce

RJ Barrett says he’s not afraid of missing shots.

And in Game 6, that mindset paid off.

Barrett didn’t make a single field goal in the fourth quarter, or in overtime for that matter, but with 1.6 seconds left and the Toronto Raptors trailing by one, he delivered one of the biggest shots in franchise history. Toronto won 112-110 win to force a Game 7.

AN INCREDIBLE SHOT FROM RJ BARRETT WITH THE SEASON ON THE LINE 🚨

WHAT A WILD BOUNCE TO FORCE GAME 7! https://t.co/q1bt3flOr2 pic.twitter.com/BtFKzNRjXS

— NBA (@NBA) May 2, 2026

Out of a timeout, Scottie Barnes drove into the paint off the inbound, where he drew two defenders his way before kicking it out to Barrett for an open three at the top of the key.

The shot hit the back of the rim and bounced high into the air. For a moment, it felt as if you could hear a pin drop at Scotiabank Arena — then the ball dropped.

"I dream about moments like this," Barrett said post-game. "When I saw it go straight up, I knew it still had a chance. It was like that (Tyrese) Haliburton shot."

Barrett said the play was something he and Barnes discussed coming out of the Raptors’ final timeout. The ball was always going to be in Barnes’ hands, but Barrett made sure his teammate knew he was ready.

"The last thing I told him was, 'I got you,'" Barrett said. "I hadn’t made a shot the entire fourth quarter or overtime, so for him to trust me, and for that shot to drop — it’s crazy."

Barnes praised Barrett after the game, calling the moment "big time" and crediting him for stepping up when the Raptors needed him the most.

 

 

 

 

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"I don’t care if I miss; I’m willing to die on making the next one," Barrett said. "That mindset prepares me for moments like tonight."

Raptors head coach Darko Rajaković said he had no play drawn up and had full trust in whoever ended up taking the final shot.

Barrett's shot off the rim drew comparisons to Kawhi Leonard’s iconic Game 7 buzzer-beater in 2019 against the Philadelphia 76ers.

For Barrett, a lifelong Raptors fan, it was a full-circle moment. He remembers watching that Kawhi game with friends in Los Angeles before the 2019 NBA Draft. Now, the 25-year-old has a signature Toronto Raptors moment of his own.

#Raptors RJ Barrett on what he thought after the ball bounced in the air on his game-winner:

“I still knew it was good cause it went straight up… it still had a chance, like that (Tyrese) Haliburton shot.”#WeTheNorth https://t.co/TSUVu2wHD1 pic.twitter.com/G1RfpkpOqB

— Marley Dickinson (@marleydickinson) May 2, 2026

"I’m happy to be in this moment and to play for my hometown team," Barrett said about his emotions. "It’s going to feel even sweeter when we win Game 7."

Even without Brandon Ingram, who was sidelined with a heel injury, Barrett and Barnes stepped up in Game 6, combining for 49 points.

Barrett credited the Raptors’ physicality for helping swing the momentum over the past four games.

The Raptors have won all three home games in the series at Scotiabank Arena. But now they'll need to win one on the road in Cleveland to advance — something they haven’t done yet in the playoffs.

"We’ve been tough and resilient all year long, but now our toughest task is ahead," Barrett said. “This is what we’re built for."