Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – It was a nail-biter if ever there was one, but the Atlanta Hawks came out with the big win over the top-seeded Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday to take the series lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Trae Young (22) and the Hawks simply didn’t quit and that’s all there is to it as they shocked the Sixers on their home floor, winning 109-106 to take a 3-2 series lead. Young led with a career playoff-high 39 points and led his team back from the brink after they were all but finished earlier in the game.

Philly really had Atlanta at one point, and the Hawks were down by as much as 26 points in this game. In the first half, they were shackled tight and mustered only 16 points in the second quarter. The second half was a totally different story, with Atlanta adjusting and mounting a comeback for the ages, including 40 fourth-quarter points to leave Joel Embiid and Sixers completely deflated.

NBA Vince Carter, Chauncey Billups, and more inducted into Basketball Hall of Fame

Despite still playing with a bad knee, Embiid had a monster game himself, with 37 points and 13 rebounds. And Seth Curry was shooting hot like his superstar brother Steph, racking up 36 points of his own. But 15 turnovers killed Philly and their undisciplined play helped Atlanta cash in 25 points off those mistakes.

The process that the Sixers have been trusting for so long looks a bit less reliable once you've given up a large double-digit lead and are one game away from elimination.

The momentum seems to be with the Hawks now, who have proven that they can win against the East’s best team, whether on the road or at home. Atlanta has taken two out of three in Philadelphia, which hardly anyone thought was possible coming from this five-seed. But it’s do-or-die time now for the Sixers, and they won't be struggling for motivation.

The Hawks can knock out the Sixers in game six on Friday night, from Atlanta.