Trae Young embraces villain role, says Celtics fans' chants showed ...

BOSTON -- Trae Young is no Steve Kerr or Klay Thompson.

While Celtics fans at TD Garden have taken some heat over the years for directing vulgar chants at opposing players, Young didn't seem to mind Tuesday night in Boston.

In fact, the Hawks point guard relished in his role of Public Enemy No. 1 in Boston on Tuesday night, scoring Atlanta's final 14 points to lead a wild comeback victory over the Celtics in Game 5 of the teams' first-round series.

Boston fans may have given Young some extra motivation: As he stepped to the line for free throws in a one-point game with 1:39 remaining, the Garden crowd started a very noticeable "F--- Trae Young!" chant.

Young calmly drilled both free throws. Then with two seconds remaining and his team trailing by one, he did this:

After his 38-point performance to keep the Hawks' season alive and force a Game 6 in Atlanta on Thursday, Young was asked if the chants from Celtics fans reminded him of 2021 in Madison Square Garden, where New York Knicks fans hounded him during their first-round playoff series.

"In the Knicks series, they started at 10 minutes in the first quarter. So, it was a lot different than tonight," Young said. "When people do that, I think that's just total respect. They ain't doing that to everybody."

We doubt Celtics fans intended to show Young "respect" on Tuesday night, but they clearly didn't rattle him. The Hawks star scored 16 of his 38 points in the fourth quarter while leading the team with 13 assists and adding a pair of steals.

Young started slow in this series (just 18 points on 5 for 18 shooting in Game 1), but he's increased his scoring output in every game, saving his best performance for a gotta-have-it Game 5 without fellow All-Star Dejounte Murray, who sat out due to a suspension.

"I told him before the game, we're going to take care of business so he can play in Atlanta," Young boasted. "So, can't wait to see everybody in Atlanta."

There's plenty to criticize about Young's game -- he recently was voted the NBA's most overrated player in an anonymous player poll -- but it's hard to criticize his sky-high confidence, which shone through in a hostile environment Tuesday night.

The Celtics still will be favored to close out the Hawks in Atlanta on Thursday and should win this series in six or seven games. But Young is at his best when it matters most, and Boston should expect his best shot again in Game 6.