OG Anunoby's buzzer-beating 3-pointer to give the Toronto Raptors the win in Game 3 over the Boston Celtics might just have been the best thing to happen to the NBA and its fans, now poised to see a Game 7 between these two teams after a rousing Game 6 thriller.

The Raptors were less than a second away from staring at an inescapable 3-0 hole, but that never-say-die mentality is what has now landed them here with only one game to decide their postseason fate.

Fans were treated to perhaps the best game of the season on Wednesday night, as two competitive Eastern Conference powerhouses traded shot after shot through the fourth quarter and the two overtime periods of Game 6, with the Raptors ultimately outlasting the Celtics 125-122 to force a Game 7.

Here are the top three takeaways from a wild Game 6.

1. There will be no more Kyle Lowry slander

After years of getting bashed for his postseason shortcomings, it would be criminal to not give Kyle Lowry his due as the leader of this Raptors team. His 33 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and two steals in 53 minutes capped off another gutsy win for Toronto.

The 6-foot dynamo made three consecutive 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, a key 15-footer to keep the Raptors within striking distance in the first overtime, and a clutch mid-range pull-up with only 11.4 seconds left in the second overtime period to give the Raptors a four-point cushion down the stretch.

It was truly a clutch performance:

The Raptors have had one big common denominator in their three wins against the Celtics: Lowry scoring 22 or more points and playing 44 or more minutes.

When Lowry isn't making clutch shots, getting steals, or pushing the ball in transition, he's goofing around and annoying his competition, as he did here with Jayson Tatum with 0.7 seconds left in the game:

In a world where Pascal Siakam (5-of-19 shooting) has struggled to find his groove and spark plug Fred VanVleet (7-of-22 shooting) didn't have it going, it has been Lowry that has proved the savior the Raptors needed to get them a win away from the Eastern Conference Finals.

There are very few redemption stories like Kyle Lowry's, and these past two seasons have made him a Raptors legend.

2. Jayson Tatum and Marcus Smart so close to making NBA history

Jayson Tatum was one assist shy of a triple-double, a dime that would have put him in the record books. The All-Star tallied 29 points, 14 rebounds, and nine assists, while All-Defensive guard Marcus Smart trotted out a triple-double with 23 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists:

Had the two reached the mark, they would have become the second-ever pair of teammates to triple-double in a playoff game. Stephen Curry (37 points, 13 rebounds, 11 assists) and Draymond Green (18 points, 14 rebounds, 11 assists) took home that honor last year as the Golden State Warriors swept the Portland Trail Blazers in an overtime Game 4 thriller.

Perhaps this pass headed into Daniel Theis' direction would have been the elusive assist that would have given Tatum the triple-double. Raptors head coach Nick Nurse stood in the corner, nearly toeing the out-of-bounds line before stepping out of the way as Tatum fired a pass in his direction:

Considering that playmaking is an art based on instincts and photographic memory, it's likely Tatum confused Nurse for an open Theis, who was at least a foot away from the pass.

Besides history evading Tatum and Smart, the Celtics have some work to do when it comes to their bench. Boston's second unit has been squalid in losses, mustering 20 points in Game 3, 24 in Game 4, and only 16 in Game 6.

Head coach Brad Stevens knows the likes of Kemba Walker, Jaylen Brown, Tatum, and Smart will have to do some of the heavy lifting with a narrow rotation, and Walker especially must be better after a wretched 2-of-11 Game 6 showing. But the Celtics' bench also needs to do something to match the Raptors' firepower with guys like Norman Powell and Serge Ibaka.

Powell and Ibaka combined for 36 points off the bench, with Norm racking up a whopping 15 of his 23 total points across the two overtime periods. Powell hit big shot after big shot down the stretch, providing that extra boost that Boston did not get from its reserves.

Four out of five Celtics starters played 50 or more minutes and Theis played 47. Their legs won't be fresh for Friday's Game 7 after going to double overtime, meaning this could come down to a battle of the benches to punch a ticket to the Eastern Conference Finals.

3. No love lost

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As evidenced by the last few ticks in the game, there is no love lost between the Celtics and Raptors, especially after the way this series has gone.

Boston was less than a second away from grabbing a commanding 3-0 lead in the series, only for Toronto to sink the dagger deep in the neck with OG Anunoby's triple. The Raptors tied up the series at 2-2 before the Celtics grabbed a dominant win on Monday, but now they're back to square one with one game to decide it all.

Marcus Smart fanned the flames at the end of Game 6 after complaining about an off-the-ball foul against Marc Gasol, only to get pushback from the Raptors starters as things nearly got chippy on the court:

Earlier in the game, Norman Powell and Marcus Smart had exchanged words after the former snagged a ball from Brad Wanamaker after a jump ball was called:

Smart is no stranger to confrontations, and he can often be that chip-on-the-shoulder character that the Celtics need. Though much in the same way, he will have to be poised against a savvy Raptors team that has been through the wringer and dons championship experience for that very reason.

Smart can only influence the game if he's on the court. He can now wreak havoc at both ends with his improved shooting stroke. He has made five or more triples in three of the six games this series and is canning the 3-ball at a 43.1% clip.

It's up to him to keep his fire contained and channel it to give his team a burst of energy instead of engaging with other Raptors players and forcing the hands of the officials.