De’Andre Hunter had the option to hold onto the ball and force the Boston Celtics to foul. However, he opted to take the shot instead. Given the Atlanta Hawks’ remarkable comeback from a 30-point deficit against the NBA-leading Celtics, it seemed fitting that Hunter’s shot found nothing but net. Hunter contributed 24 points, including a pivotal 3-pointer with just 9.2 seconds remaining, propelling the undermanned Hawks to a stunning 120-118 victory over the Celtics on Monday night.

The Celtics, riding high on a nine-game winning streak and having won 20 of their last 22 games, initially appeared to have the game in control, establishing a commanding 68-38 lead in the first half. Yet, despite being plagued by injuries to key players including Trae Young, the Hawks orchestrated an extraordinary turnaround. This historic comeback marked the Hawks’ largest in-game rally since the NBA began recording detailed play-by-play statistics in the 1997-98 season.

With Dejounte Murray’s reverse layup putting the Hawks ahead for the first time at 117-116, and a critical assist from Clint Capela, Hunter’s decisive shot secured the improbable victory. Though the decision to take the shot might have seemed questionable to some, Hawks coach Quin Snyder and Hunter himself exhibited unwavering confidence in the moment. The loss was a bitter pill for the Celtics, who faced defeat at the hands of a team trailing them by a significant margin in the Eastern Conference standings.