Thanks to a well-rounded offensive attack, the Atlanta Hawks avoided falling behind the Boston Celtics 3-0 in their best-of-seven first-round series, winning Game 3 on Friday, 130-122.
Seven Hawks finished in double-figures on the night, equaling a franchise playoff record.
Point guard Trae Young led the charge for Atlanta, scoring a team-high 32 points, shooting 12-of-22 from the field and 2-of-6 from beyond the arc, adding nine assists and six rebounds.
Rounding out the Hawks’ starters, Dejounte Murray finished with 25 points, and De’Andre Hunter and Clint Capela scored 11 and 10, respectively.
Meanwhile, the Hawks’ bench accounted for 44 points on Friday. Saddiq Bey and Bogdan Bogdanovic ended the night with 15 points apiece, while Jalen Johnson contributed 10 points in the victory.
The Hawks’ 130 points were the most they’ve scored in a postseason game since 1986, when Atlanta dropped 137 points on the Detroit Pistons, per ESPN Stats and Info.
Trailing by four after one quarter, the Hawks exploded for 41 points in the second, taking a seven-point lead into the halftime break. In the second half, the Hawks kept pace with Boston, holding on for an eight-point win.
Young played his best when the Hawks needed him most, hitting a massive three-pointer with 2:22 left in the fourth quarter, ultimately helping Atlanta pull away.
With the momentum in their favor, the Hawks hope to capitalize by evening up the series. Atlanta will host Boston for Game 4 on Sunday at 7 p.m. EST.
