BOSTON (AP) – With his team trailing by one point and his season on the brink, Hawks star Trae Young got all the encouragement he needed in the huddle during his team’s timeout.
“I just had to trust what I’ve done my whole life and pitch with confidence,” Young said.
He did, and he kept Atlanta’s season alive.
Young scored 38 points and hit a 3-pointer from the top of the basket with 2.8 seconds left to help the Hawks cap off a late comeback and beat the Boston Celtics 119-117 on Sunday. Tuesday night.
The win cuts Boston’s lead in the first round of the playoff series to 3-2 and sends the teams back to Atlanta for Game 6 on Thursday.
Young scored 16 points in a frenetic fourth quarter, drawing support from his teammates, who collectively hit a series-high 19 3-pointers.
John Collins added 22 points for Atlanta, which played without Dejounte Murray, suspended one game for hitting referee Gediminas Petraitis late in Game 4.
Without Murray, Young took over offensive responsibility and helped Atlanta keep pace early, scoring nine of the Hawks’ first 13 points. By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, Collins was familiar looking at his teammate.
“I know what time it is. It’s Ice Bring time. It is decisive. He wants to be in that moment. He wants the big shot,” Collins said. “It’s what he does.”
Jaylen Brown scored 35 points and Jayson Tatum added 19 for the Celtics, who were outscored 37-25 in the fourth quarter. It came after Boston had dominated for three quarters. During the game, the Celtics led 60-38 in the paint and 24-8 in transition.
A sloppy ending rendered it all for naught.
2023-04-26 10:45:00
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