112-110 Decision Sends First Round Series to Game Seven

*** In the longest single second of the Cavaliers 2025-26 season, RJ Barrett’s three-point attempt drifted up and above the shot clock after caroming off the heel of the rim before falling through the hoop with 1.2 seconds to play in overtime, sending the First Round series to Game 7 on Sunday night in Cleveland. 

The Cavs had one more chance to win after Barrett’s miraculous three-pointer, but Evan Mobley’s triple attempt drew front iron at the buzzer, sealing the 112-110 decision on Friday night at Scotiabank Arena as both teams continued to hold serve on their home floor. 

The Wine & Gold – who trailed through the entire second half – clawed their way back from 11 points down in the fourth quarter, tying the game at 104-apiece on Evan Mobley’s finger roll with 11.6 seconds to play in regulation. 

After a back-and-forth start to the extra-session, Donovan Mitchell’s layup with 33.7 to play in overtime put the Cavaliers up a deuce. Jamal Shead split a pair of free throws on Toronto’s next possession to cut Cleveland’s lead in half with 25.6 remaining. 

The Raptors pressed Dennis Schroder full-court on the following possession, and his pass went off Mobley’s fingertips under pressure from Collin-Murray Boyles, giving Toronto one final shot. Barrett inbounded the ball to Scottie Barnes, who drove into the paint and fed the ball back to Barrett, launching his 29-footer that ricocheted up over and then through the hoop – sending both teams to a Sunday showdown at Rocket Arena. 

Mobley led five Cavaliers in double-figures with 26 points and 14 boards, going 9-for-15 from the floor, including 3-of-7 from deep, adding three assists and a steal in 41 minutes of work. After starting the series 2-of-11 from beyond the arc, the 5^th-year big man has gone 6-of-10 over his last two games. 

Donovan Mitchell scored 11 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter, going 11-for-26 from the floor overall, but just 2-of-10 from long-range, adding five rebounds, a pair of assists and a steal in the loss. 

James Harden chipped in with 16 points on 5-of-14 shooting and led Cleveland with nine assists to go with nine rebounds – five off the offensive glass – two steals and a blocked shot. 

Asked about what he expects on Sunday, the 11-time All-Star said: “Do the same thing we’ve been doing all year long. Just one game at home. We don’t even look at it as a Game 7. You get an opportunity to go out there and play at home and win the game.”

Jarrett Allen had his best offensive game of the series, finishing with 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting, adding seven boards and blocking a pair of shots, giving him 13 swats in the series. 

Dean Wade led Cleveland’s second unit with 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting, adding five boards and a steal. 

Wade was involved in one of the key moments in overtime, when Toronto challenged a foul call on Jamal Shead with just over two minutes to play and the game knotted at 106-apiece. Shead was originally called for a foul on James Harden’s three-pointer, his sixth. But after a official’s review, instead of Harden shooting three from the stripe, Wade was whistled for a moving screen. 

“Definitely felt like we had it, but we know there’s a Game 7 back at our house, so we’re not too down,” said the 7^th-year forward. “We’ll dwell on this for an hour or two, but by the time we land back in Cleveland, we’ll be over this and ready for Game 7.”

Overall, the Cavs shot 43 percent from the floor, but were just 11-of-41 from three-point range. They dominated Toronto on the glass, 52-38, and grabbed 19 offensive rebounds, but turnovers bit Cleveland again – with the Raptors turning 18 miscues into 25 points. 

“(Toronto)’s really long and they’re athletic,” said Coach Kenny Atkinson. “I did feel that we got some good looks there in overtime. We got a bunch of good looks in the fourth quarter. If one of those goes in, it’s a W. But it’s a make-or-miss league.”

Scottie Barnes was outstanding on Friday night – leading the Raptors with 25 points and both teams with 14 assists, three steals and three blocks, adding seven rebounds in 48 minutes of action. 

RJ Barrett followed up with 24 points – including the game’s final three – and a team-high nine boards. Ja’Kobe Walter finished with 24 points of his own, going 7-for-13 from the floor, including 4-of-9 from long-range and 6-of-6 from the stripe. 

Brandon Ingram, Toronto’s leading scorer during the regular season, missed Friday’s affair with a right heel injury suffered in the second quarter of Game 5 back in Cleveland. 

*** The Cavaliers will play their first Game 7 since going the distance to advance past Orlando in a 2024 First Round matchup. Should the Wine and Gold move on, they’ll face either those same Magic or the No. 1-seed Detroit Pistons, who’ll square off in a Game 7 of their own earlier on Sunday afternoon.