Between Leonard and Haliburton: Barrett’s Three Changes Everything
RJ Barrett’s overtime three immediately brought back memories of Kawhi Leonard’s 2019 playoff magic, while Tyrese Haliburton acknowledged the déjà vu on social media
A win-or-go-home game produced a movie ending in Toronto, where RJ Barrett stole the spotlight and carried the Toronto Raptors to a massive Game 6 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, 112-110 in overtime.
In front of 19,919 roaring fans, Barrett delivered the shot that changed the series: a three-pointer from nearly 30 feet that hit the rim, bounced high above the backboard, and dropped in. All of it with 1.2 seconds left in overtime. A shot that saved Toronto from elimination and tied the series at 3-3.
The moment immediately drew heavyweight comparisons. Barrett himself said he knew it had a chance based on the way the ball bounced.
I knew it was good because it went straight up. If it goes straight up, you’ve got a chance – like that shot by Tyrese Haliburton
RJ Barrett
A direct reference to Haliburton, who hit an iconic playoff three in a previous postseason.
On social media, Haliburton responded in a short but effective way:
Looked familiar
Tyrese Haliburton
The Raptors’ bench also lived through a nerve-racking ending. Head coach Darko Rajakovic described the tension of the final moments:
It lasted half a second, but it felt like forever. I’m happy for him, for the team, and for the city
Darko Rajakovic
Even LeBron James weighed in, joking about the shot:
I haven’t seen a basket like that in Toronto since Kawhi Leonard. There’s something about those shots there. I’m happy
LeBron James
The reference, of course, was to Leonard’s famous 2019 buzzer-beater that eliminated the 76ers on the legendary four-bounce shot.
Barrett finished with 24 points and 9 rebounds in 43 minutes, but most importantly with the play that changed the history of the series. According to ESPN, he became just the second player in NBA history to hit a game-winning basket in the final two seconds of overtime in an elimination game.
The emotional context was obvious. Barrett, born in Toronto and already a star for Team Canada at the 2024 Olympics, spoke about the moment afterward:
I’m happy to experience this with my city. I’m proud of the group. Going to Game 7 will be even better
RJ Barrett
The series now moves back to Cleveland for Game 7. But the Raptors carry a major road burden: they are 0-10 in playoff road games against the Cavaliers.
Barrett closed with the right mindset:
Forget everything that happened so far. We’ve got one game to decide everything
RJ Barrett
A series that looked over now has a final chapter still waiting to be written.