The Boston Celtics looked like they were on their way to an easy win over the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night.
But the Hawks hung around, fought hard, erased a 30-point deficit, and ended up winning, 120-118, with one of the most stunning victories of the season.
After the game, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla spoke about the loss.
“It’s a really good lesson. You let a team hang around… credit to them for battling back,” Mazzulla said, via NBC Sports Boston.
"It's a really good lesson. You let a team hang around… credit to them for battling back"
Joe Mazzulla on the loss to the Hawks pic.twitter.com/ZYZjBK29XW
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) March 26, 2024
At first, the Celtics seemed like they were about to score another triumph at State Farm Arena.
With just a bit more than four minutes left in the first half, the Celtics were up by exactly 30 points and the Hawks looked to be in a serious amount of trouble.
But even without Trae Young and other important players, the Hawks were able to bounce back and mount a massive comeback.
It started with a 9-0 run at the end of the first half but they looked even stronger when halftime was over.
In the end, it was De’Andre Hunter, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and Dejounte Murray who led the way with 24, 22, and 19 points, respectively.
The Hawks are still the tenth seed in the Eastern Conference, meaning that they are clinging onto the last spot in the Play-In Tournament.
This is the sort of win that can keep their hopes alive for the last few weeks of the season.
The Celtics are still the top team in the entire NBA but Monday night’s loss was a reminder that nothing should be taken for granted.
If Boston wants to win their 18th banner this year, they cannot give up assured victories again.
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