Atlanta Hawks Defy Odds with Historic Comeback to Stun Boston Celtics
The NBA landscape was set for an intriguing clash on Monday night as the first-place Boston Celtics, holding a 30-point lead over the Atlanta Hawks before the end of the second quarter, appeared poised to further solidify their NBA-best record and extend their winning streak to ten games in a row.
However, the Atlanta Hawks had other plans. Despite being down by 30 points with just over four minutes remaining until halftime, they managed to erase this significant deficit and stun the Celtics with a thrilling 120-118 victory. This impressive comeback marked the largest in Hawks history since records began to be kept in the 1997/98 season and the biggest comeback in the NBA during the current campaign.
Hawks coach Quin Snyder described the exhilarating turnaround as follows: “Any time you’re down that much, you have to have something out of the ordinary to get back in the game. Our team has a strong bond and unwavering determination – traits that shone through tonight, even amidst adversity.”
Atlanta fans held their breath in the game’s final seconds when Hawks forward De’Andre Hunter, with only 11 seconds left and his team leading by one point, received the ball outside the three-point line after Clint Capela had secured an offensive rebound. The usual basketball protocol and coaching advice would have been for Hunter to hold onto the ball and wait to be fouled in order to preserve possession. Instead, however, he seized the opportunity and released a three-point shot that sealed the win for Atlanta, bringing immense relief to fans and teammates alike.
“If he passes it to me, I’m shooting,” Hunter explained after the game, “He got the rebound, he passed it to me, so I shot it.”
Coach Snyder supported his player’s decision, stating: “He didn’t hesitate. He shot the ball with confidence, and I had confidence in him.”
All five Hawks starters finished the game with double-digit scores, with Hunter leading the charge with 24 points. Bogdan Bogdanović added 22 points, while Dejounte Murray contributed 19 points and 15 assists to the team’s impressive performance.
The victory brought immense satisfaction to Atlanta, while Boston was left feeling embarrassed following a defeat to a team sitting nine spots beneath them in the Eastern Conference standings as the regular season nears its conclusion. After securing the No. 1 seed and homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs, the Celtics seemed to have let their guard down, allowing the Hawks to mount an impressive comeback through a 18-6 run in the first half and a 19-4 run that cut Boston’s lead to just two points four minutes into the third quarter.
“We took our foot off the gas in the second half, and they got into a great rhythm,” Celtics star Jayson Tatum shared after the game. “We turned the ball over a bit and lost our focus, making it anyone’s game.”
Tatum led the Celtics with an impressive 37 points, eight rebounds, and five assists. In the absence of Jrue Holiday and Derrick White, Tatum assumed the role of starting point guard for the Celtics.
Boston now drops to a record of 57-15 but remains in first place in the league standings, while Atlanta improves to 32-39 and continues their fight for a spot in the Play-In tournament. The teams will have another opportunity to face off on Thursday, although Atlanta is first scheduled to take on the Portland Trail Blazers at home on Wednesday.
