Hawks storm back from 30-point deficit to topple Celtics - ESPN

ATLANTA — De'Andre Hunter scored 24 points, including a clinching 3-pointer with 9.2 seconds remaining, and the patched-together Atlanta Hawks rallied from a 30-point deficit Monday night for a stunning 120-118 victory over the NBA-leading Boston Celtics.

The Celtics had won 20 of 22 and brought a nine-game winning streak into State Farm Arena — a run that certainly appeared in no jeopardy when Al Horford's 3-pointer put Boston up 68-38 with just under 4½ minutes left in the first half.

But the Hawks, clinging to the final play-in spot in the East and one of the league's most disappointing teams, launched a comeback out of nowhere with All-Star guard Trae Young and three other key players sidelined by injuries.

It was the biggest comeback win for Atlanta since at least the 1997-98 season, when the NBA began keeping detailed play-by-play.

Dejounte Murray put the Hawks ahead to stay at 117-116 on a reverse layup with a minute left. Jaylen Brown missed a desperation 3 with the shot clock expiring, and Hunter sealed things at the other end with a huge assist from Clint Capela.

After Murray missed a jumper, Capela grabbed the offensive rebound and spotted Hunter all alone at the top of the key. Even though the shot clock was off and Hunter could've forced the Celtics to foul, he let go an open look from 26 feet.

Nothing but net.

The Celtics managed one more basket off an offensive rebound, but the Hawks ran out the final 1.5 seconds to pull off their most improbable win of the season against a team that came into the night 25.5 games ahead of them in the Eastern Conference standings.

It was the first 30-point comeback win since the 2021-22 LA Clippers beat the Wizards 116-115 after trailing by 35, according to ESPN's Stats &