The Atlanta Hawks avoided elimination on Wednesday night thanks to a clutch performance by their star point guard Trae Young. Young scored 38 points, including a long 3-pointer with 2.8 seconds left, to lift the Hawks to a 112-109 win over the Boston Celtics in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference semifinals series.
Young's game-winner came after he dribbled past halfcourt and pulled up from well beyond the arc, over the outstretched arm of Marcus Smart. The shot gave the Hawks a four-point lead and silenced the raucous crowd at TD Garden. Young celebrated by putting his finger to his lips and shushing the fans.
Young also had 11 assists and four steals in the game, becoming the first player in NBA history to record at least 35 points, 10 assists and four steals in a playoff game. He shot 13-of-23 from the field, 5-of-11 from 3-point range and 7-of-9 from the free throw line.
Young has been sensational in his postseason debut, averaging 29.6 points and 9.8 assists per game. He has led the Hawks to three road wins in Boston, where they had lost 11 straight playoff games before this series.
The Hawks still trail the Celtics 3-2 in the best-of-seven series, but they have momentum and confidence heading into Game 6 on Friday night at State Farm Arena. Young said he believes his team can pull off the comeback and advance to the conference finals.
"We're not giving up," Young said. "We're not going to quit. We're going to keep fighting until the end."
Sources:
- Hawks' Trae Young buries long 3 to extend series vs. Celtics (https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/36292412/hawks-trae-young-buries-long-3-extend-series-vs-celtics)
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