"They had no faith in their own team???" - NBA fans troll the Atlanta Hawks after they double-booked State Farm Arena

The Atlanta Hawks knew they would be in an uphill battle against heavy favorites the Boston Celtics in Game 5 at TD Garden. Atlanta headed into the Celtics’ lair without star guard Dejounte Murray, who was suspended by the NBA for bumping into a referee after Game 4.

Although the odds were stacked against Atlanta, the game still had to be played. Apparently, the Hawks were not completely convinced they’d win Game 5.

The team booked Apr. 27, a potential Game 6 date, for a Janet Jackson concert at 7:45 PM.

Following news of this incredible turn of events, fans couldn’t resist trolling the Hawks for putting themselves in a difficult situation:

Las Vegas bookies gave the Atlanta Hawks a -13 odds for Game 5 against the Boston Celtics. Murray's suspension swayed the odds heavily in Boston's favor.

Trae Young and his teammates, however, refused to oblige the Hawks' ticket master. They survived Murray's absence to pull off a stunning 119-117 upset of the reigning Eastern Conference champs.

"Ice Trae" buried a long three-pointer with 2.8 seconds left in the game to drag the Atlanta Hawks back into the series. The victory set up a Game 6 date on Apr. 27, which is now in conflict with Janet Jackson's concert.

Venues usually book concerts and tours in advance to coincide with a specific artist's logistics. State Farm Arena is not exempt. Organizers can simply reschedule one of the said events. More likely, Jackson's concert will be moved to a different date.

Still, it did not look good for the Atlanta Hawks, who urged their fans to keep faith in their team. It seems like the players gave Game 5 everything they got, even with the odds stacked against them, while the team gave up.

The Atlanta Hawks remain underdogs for Game 6

The Atlanta Hawks had almost no business winning Game 5. They were beaten by the Boston Celtics in almost every significant statistical category. The Hawks' only edge was in the three-point field-goal percentage (46.3%) where they lorded it over the Celtics (31.6%).

If not for Trae Young's game-winning three-pointer, Atlanta's season would be over.

Boston had the edge in overall shooting efficiency (53.3% to 46.9%) and had more rebounds (43-34). The Celtics also had more assists (31-26), blocks (9-4) and fastbreak points (24-8).

Joe Mazzulla's team crushed the visiting Atlanta Hawks in points in the paint (60-38). And yet, Atlanta lived on to fight another day.

The Hawks made 19 of 41 three-pointers, no bigger than Young's haymaker, to the Celtics' 12-38. It was all the difference they needed to survive and force a Game 6.

Atlanta, with or without Dejounte Murray, will be facing the same difficult task of pushing the series into a do-or-die Game 7.

About the author

Michael Macasero brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his coverage of basketball at Sportskeeda with over 18 years of diverse work experience. This includes stints at Convergys, Interpace and RunRepeat.

Michael's background in English and Journalism has provided him with the analytical skills and precision necessary for creating content, and he is a lifelong fan of the Boston Celtics. His favorite players include legends like Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, modern stars like Tim Duncan, and Nikola Jokic, as well as emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Michael respects Gregg Popovich, despite his contentious demeanor in interviews, and recognizes Popovich's genius in adapting his coaching style to maximize the talent on his roster over the years. Michael eagerly anticipates seeing how Popovich will structure the offense around emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Understanding the story and details is crucial to Michael's reporting philosophy and he believes overlooking details, particularly when pressed for time, can lead to misunderstandings and inaccurate conclusions.

Aside from work, Michael's children are his hobbies, and he also likes to go running, swimming and weightlifting.

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