When the Boston Celtics led by 30 points during the second quarter of Monday's game, everyone thought it was over for the Atlanta Hawks. Instead, the unthinkable happened. Going on a huge rally, the Hawks managed to edge out a 120-118 win over the Eastern Conference giants, much to the delight of their home crowd. The game was sealed by a go-ahead three-pointer courtesy of De'Andre Hunter, who had 24 points in the victory.

After the game, Hunter relayed what happened on that crucial possession.

โ€œI think CC (Clint Capela) got a big rebound,โ€ Hunter said, per Bally Sports: Hawks. โ€œAnd I just found the open spot. CC found me and from there, it's just muscle memory.โ€

De'Andre Hunter comes up clutch

Atlanta Hawks forward De'Andre Hunter (12) is defended by Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) in the second half at State Farm Arena
Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

The Hawks clung to a one-point lead and ball possession with less than 20 seconds remaining in the game. Dejounte Murray attempted a mid-range to extend the lead, but it was off the mark. Fortunately for Atlanta, Clint Capela battled down low to secure an offensive rebound, which then resulted in a kick-out to Hunter at the top of the key.

Without hesitation, the forward swished the dagger to put the Hawks up by four with 9.2 seconds remaining.

Hunter also spoke about the team's mentality while down big before the half.

โ€œWe got down early, the biggest thing we said going to halftime was โ€˜We gotta fight'โ€ฆwe just gotta keep fighting and that's what we did.โ€

And fight they did. Once Boston mounted the 30-point lead, Atlanta managed to trim the lead down to 18 entering halftime. As the third quarter started, the Hawks would continue their run. They outscored the Celtics 34-22 in the third, and early in the fourth, a Wesley Matthews triple gave the Hawks their first taste of the lead.

Related Atlanta Hawks NewsArticle continues below
Jase Richardson, Collin Murray-Boyles, Nique Clifford in the middle, Head coach Quin Snyder, and GM Onsi Saleh around them, Atlanta Hawks wallpaper in the background
Atlanta Hawksโ€™ 3 best options for No. 13 pick in 2025 NBA Draft
Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri looks on court side before a NBA game against the Miami Heat at Scotiabank Arena.
Hawks rumors: Atlanta interested in Raptorsโ€™ Masai Ujiri for front-office vacancy

From then on the game would be tight, with six additional lead changes until the final buzzer. Luckily for those who bought tickets to the State Farm Arena, they witnessed a resilient Hawks team emerge as the victor.

The Hawks' team effort was key to the comeback

Atlanta Hawks bench reacts to a play against the Utah Jazz during the first quarter at Delta Center
Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

Hunter's aforementioned 24 points led the way, but it took a team effort for the comeback to be successful. Bogdan Bogdanovic added 22 points while Dejounte Murray tallied a double-double of 19 points and 15 assists.

The Hawks also received a huge boost from their other role players. Forward Vit Krejci energized the team with 16 points while centers Clint Capela and Bruno Fernando made their presence felt with 14 and 13 points, respectively.

It can also be noted that Atlanta was without Trae Young for the night, which makes the comeback even more impressive on their end (and more frustrating on Boston's).

As of Monday, the Hawks continue to hold the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference. In other words, they're set for a play-in appearance as long as they secure the spot. They're catching up to the Chicago Bulls too. The Hawks are now on a two-game winning streak while the ninth-seeded Bulls have lost three straight. A .21% winning percentage separates both teams.

With momentum on their side, De'Andre Hunter and the Atlanta Hawks look to add another victory against the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday.