'Don't ever count out the underdogs'
The Hawks needed their best player to take his game to another level Tuesday night, and Trae Young did exactly that against the Celtics at TD Garden.
Playing without 2022 All-Star Dejounte Murray, Atlanta kept its season alive with a stunning comeback win over Boston in Game 5 of the teams’ first-round NBA playoff series. This was largely made possible by Young, who stuffed the stat sheet with 38 points and 13 assists, both game highs. Sixteen of those points were scored in the fourth quarter, including a game-winning 3-pointer from about 30 feet out.
Young took to Twitter after his clutch performance, which forced a Game 6 at State Farm Arena on Thursday night.
“Don’t ever count out the underdogs,” Young tweeted. “See you Game 6 in ATL. WeMove!”
Young and the Hawks were whopping 13-point underdogs going into Tuesday night’s game in Boston. That number, as of Wednesday morning, is roughly cut in half for Game 6, in which the Celtics are a 6-point favorite at FanDuel Sportsbook.
Should Atlanta secure a second consecutive win, Game 7 would be Saturday night at TD Garden. But if the Celtics bounce back and eliminate the Hawks, they will start a second-round series with the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday in Boston.