Basketball World Reacts to 76ers’ 26-Point Collapse in Game 5 vs. Hawks
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The 76ers blew a 26-point lead to the Hawks at home in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, with Atlanta grabbing a 3-2 series lead.
Atlanta sports fans know all too well the feeling of watching a seemingly insurmountable lead whittle away and morph into a gut-wrenching defeat. In Game 5 between the Hawks and 76ers on Wednesday, the shoe was finally on the other foot.
The Hawks shocked the 76ers in Philadelphia, erasing a 26-point deficit over the game’s final 14 minutes to win Game 5, 109-106, and take a 3-2 series lead. Atlanta did not grab its first lead until the 1:26 mark in the fourth quarter, ending the game on a 15-2 run.
The Hawks outscored the 76ers 40-19 in the fourth quarter. Star point guard Trae Young led the way with 39 points and seven assists, while John Collins had 19 points, 11 rebounds and two blocked shots.
Sixers center Joel Embiid again filled up the stat sheet, scoring 37 points with 13 rebounds, five assists, two steals and four blocks, yet he was held scoreless over the game’s last seven minutes. Guard Seth Curry had 36 points on 13-for-19 shooting from the field.
Guard Ben Simmons struggled again, particularly from the free throw line. He finished with eight points, nine assists and four rebounds on 2-for-4 shooting and 4-for-14 from the line.
Unsurprisingly, the basketball world had plenty today about the historic collapse. Check out the best of the bunch below:
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