The Atlanta Hawks were 6:10 away from their season ending as they trailed by 13 points and no one would have blamed them if they rolled over as the seventh seed in the East.
They really wanted to go home – but to play more basketball. So they came all the way back and forced a Game 6 against the Boston Celtics back in Georgia.
In the final 6:10, the Hawks outscored Boston 23-8, and Trae Young’s three-pointer with 1.8 seconds left gave the Hawks a 119-117 victory.
Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) pumps his fist after his three point basket with under two seconds left gave the Hawks a 119-117 win over the Boston Celtics in game five of the 2023 NBA playoffs at TD Garden. (Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports)
Boston was up 109-96 with just over six minutes to go, but John Collins scored seven of Atlanta’s next nine points, and then it was the Trae Young show.
The star guard scored Atlanta’s final 14 points, and with nothing to lose, Young puled up from just shy of the logo and knocked a three.
The Celtics called a timeout, but their final shot was an airball, sending everyone south in the extended series.
Young finished with 38 points while also diming 13 assists. Collins added 22 on 50% shooting.
Atlanta led by as many as five at some point in the second quarter, but the Celtics led from 6:22 left in the second all the way until the final second of the game.
A three point basket by Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) was the winning shot late the fourth quarter of game five of the 2023 NBA playoffs at TD Garden. (Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports)
HAWKS’ DEJOUNTE MURRAY DISAGREES WITH ONE-GAME SUSPENSION AFTER MAKING CONTACT WITH REFEREE
The Hawks were without Dejounte Murray in this one, as he was suspended for making contact with an official in Game 4.
Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 35 points – Jayson Tatum had 19 while he struggled from three-point land, going just 1-for-11 from deep.
Trae Young #11 of the Atlanta Hawks shoots the game winning 29-foot three point basket against Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics during the fourth quarter in game five of the Eastern Conference First Round Playoffs at TD Garden on April 25, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Game 6 will be in Atlanta on Thursday night.
