Young takes center stage at the Garden. The visiting playmaker scores the last 14 points – including the triple with less than 2″ left on the clock – for the Hawks who dominate the last quarter 37-25 and surprise fold the Celtics forcing Game 6. The series is now at 3- 2 Boston and back to Georgia: it will be played on Thursday in the Italian night, in Atlanta. The greens seemed to have the match and qualification in hand, with Brown unleashed, from 35 points in the evening, but Atlanta, even without the suspended Murray, finds the attack and the best striker with the season in the balance, humiliating the defense of Coach Mazzulla, playoff rookie. The Celtics don’t get enough from Tatum, who shoots 1/11 from three points, including the last desperate wrong attempt at the end, receives a coach for protests with the game in the balance, ends with -9 plus/minus. Meanwhile, Philadelphia rejoices however the continuation of this series goes: Game 1 of its Conference semifinal, the 76ers are already qualified, will be played on Monday May 1st. Embiid will therefore have a lot of time to try to recover from yet another ailment.
THE MATCH – Murray is not there, suspended for having hit an referee with the chest at the end of Game 4. Boston starts the last period ahead by 10 points, but bungles in the sprint against all expectations. Young and White make each other’s free throws in the final seconds with the game in the balance and it is then Young who has the last word by scoring the triple front in Brown’s face, when he counts the most. Boston bungles, doesn’t even come close to replying. With one second and eight tenths still available the throw-in is deflected, then Tatum’s desperate triple to win is very short. Young, the hero of the evening, enjoys it: “We didn’t give up. The pressure to win or go on vacation? I haven’t heard from her. Now we will have to keep fighting in Race 6”.
Boston: Brown 35 (11/16, 4/7, 1/5 tl), Tatum 19, White 18. Rebounds: Tatum 8. Assists: Tatum 8.
Atlanta: Young 38 (9/20, 5/13, 5/5 tl), Collins 22, Bogdanovic 18. Rebounds: Capela 7. Assists: Young 13.
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