‘Thank you, RJ Barrett’: Basketball world reacts to Raptors Game 6 hero

Canadian R.J. Barrett drained the game-winning basket in overtime to give the Raptors a win over the Cavs, forcing a Game 7 on Sunday. Siobhan Morris reports.

RJ Barrett’s 29-foot three-pointer that bounced off the back rim before going in not only kept the Toronto Raptors’ season alive but also sent a buzz through the basketball world.

NBA superstar LeBron James praised Barrett’s overtime game-winner.

“Thank you, RJ Barrett. I appreciate it,” James told reporters in the locker room after the Lakers advanced to the Western Conference semifinals.

“Haven’t seen a shot in Toronto like that since Kawhi. There’s something about those rims.”

Down by one point, Barrett released the shot with 4.4 seconds left on the clock, and after its high bounce, it swished through the net with 1.2 seconds to go.

• RECAP: Barrett sinks game-winning overtime three as Raptors stun Cavaliers to force Game 7

Barrett’s three-pointer has been compared to Kawhi Leonard’s 2019 Game 7 buzzer-beater against the Philadelphia 76ers that sent the Raptors to the NBA finals.

Leonard’s fadeaway jumper bounced four times on the rim before dropping in.

“Just to be able to now kinda have a shot like that in history, it definitely feels pretty good,” Barrett told reporters after the game when asked how he feels about joining Leonard in Raptors history.

Barrett, who is from Mississauga, said he has dreamed of making game-winning shots like the one Friday night.

He shared that despite the ball bouncing about 2.1 metres off the back rim, he thought it would go in.

“If it goes straight up, you got a chance, like that (Tyrese) Haliburton shot,” Barrett said, referring to Indiana Pacers player’s jumper during Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals against the New York Knicks last year.

Haliburton’s shot also bounced high off the rim before going in to send the game to overtime, which the Pacers ended up winning.

“That looked familiar,” Haliburton posted on social media on Friday night.

‘Greatest godson in the league’

Canadian basketball legend Steve Nash was a proud godfather on Friday.

“Well, well, well, game winner from the greatest godson in the league,” said Nash as the NBA on Prime panel discussed the Raptors’ win. Barrett is his godson.

When fellow panellist Blake Griffin asked Nash how many godsons he has in the NBA, the Canadian replied, “Just the one, but he’s the best.”

NBA on Prime analyst Udonis Haslem also chimed in, saying the Raptors deserved the win.

“That was a tough shot by Barrett, and he probably wouldn’t make that,” Haslem said.

“But guess what? The basketball God stepped in tonight. Basketball God stepped in tonight, and that’s his basketball karma, because this team worked harder, and they actually deserved the win, and you did not deserve the win, Cleveland.”

The Raptors will look to defeat the Cavaliers in Game 7 on Sunday in Cleveland and advance to the Eastern Conference semis.

With files from The Canadian Press