Maine Celtics

On NBC/TV now, 7:00

Does anyone else watch these games? I am impressed with a couple or even more of the players on the Maine team. DJ Stewart, Drew Peterson, even Davidson at times have been impressive. Tonight Jordan Walsh has 6 threes and it is halfway through the 4th quarter, also has 10 rebounds. Slater has been something else tonight too. There is some talent up there, wonder if any will get a shot somewhere

Maine Celtics’ talent evident as they advance to G League finals with win over Long Island Nets


By Brendan Kurie Globe Correspondent,Updated April 7, 2024, 58 minutes ago




JD Davison, who has played 18 games with the Boston Celtics the last two seasons, scored 19 points with 11 assists Sunday for the Maine Celtics in an Eastern Conference finals win over the Long Island Nets. JD Davison, who has played 18 games with the Boston Celtics the last two seasons, scored 19 points with 11 assists Sunday for the Maine Celtics in an Eastern Conference finals win over the Long Island Nets.STEVEN SENNE/ASSOCIATED PRESS



Starting Tuesday, the Maine Celtics will play in the G League Finals for the first time.

Second-seeded Maine pulled away from the fifth-seeded Long Island Nets in the fourth quarter for a 99-77 victory Sunday in the Eastern Conference final at the Portland Expo Building.

A trio of names familiar to Celtics fans were joined by undrafted Duke product DJ Steward during a fourth-quarter surge that grew a 1-point lead entering the fourth quarter into a 22-point victory.

Steward, a 6-foot-2-inch combo guard who averaged 19.4 points per game during the regular season, kick-started the 36-15 closing run with a pair of deep 3-pointers and a personal 8-0 run.

Those were soon followed by an emphatic dunk from Neemias Queta and a 3-pointer from 2023 second-round pick Jordan Walsh, both of which came off passes from JD Davison, a 2022 second-round.

Steward finished with 27 points and five 3-pointers, Davison put up 19 points and 11 assists, Queta dominated inside with 16 points and 19 rebounds, and Walsh added 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 steals.

After scoring just 13 points in the third quarter, during which a 48-43 halftime lead nearly disappeared, Maine erupted for 38 points in the fourth quarter. The Nets were led by Kaiser Gates’s 16 points.

The Maine Celtics had just one playoff win across their first 12 seasons — a quarterfinal victory in 2017 when they were the Maine Red Claws — before collecting their second in four days. In the championship they will face the Western Conference winner, either No. 3 Oklahoma City or No. 1 Stockton Kings.

The G League Finals is a best-of-three series with games on Tuesday (TBD), Friday (9 p.m., ESPNews) and, if necessary, April 15 (9 p.m., ESPNU).


Bob


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The sad thing is they are no longer televised. I had watched several games this year and the last game they played at home was the last televised game. They have some pretty good players on that team, Davidson has upped his game, his biggest problem is at times he is a ball hog!!! Peterson, Stewart, a couple of their big guys and, of course, Queta. Too bad they will not be on tv for the Eastern Conference game. Even Tony Snell has played well at times for them

They will be on ESPNEWS channel Tuesday

Maine Celtics win Game 1 of the G League Finals, will play for championship Thursday
By Rick Seto Globe Correspondent,Updated April 9, 2024, 29 minutes ago




JD Davison scored a game-high 23 points for the Maine Celtics in Game 1 of the G League Finals.ERIK VERDUZCO/ASSOCIATED PRESS



The Maine Celtics will get a chance to play for the G League championship after a resounding 106-86 victory over the Oklahoma City Blue in Game 1 of the Finals in Portland, Maine, on Tuesday.

JD Davison scored a game-high 23 points and handed out 12 assists. Drew Peterson finished 20 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 assists. Neemias Queta hauled in 13 rebounds to go with 20 points. Jordan Walsh, Boston’s second-round pick last year, chipped in with 15 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals.

Maine, the second seed out of the Eastern Conference, will try to win the title Thursday in Oklahoma City, the third seed out of the Western Conference. Tip-off will be at 8 p.m. A deciding third game would be Monday in Maine.


The Celtics led, 59-42, at halftime and their lead got as high as 27 after an alley-oop by Kylor Kelley with 8:05 left in the third quarter. The hosts shot 43 of 90 from the field (47.8 percent), including 12 of 35 (34.3 percent) on 3-pointers.


Bob
MY NOTE:  This is why Queta wasn't with the team in Milwaukee despite being down 2 bigs.  I think it was very considerate of Joe and our front office to let Queta play for a Championship that he would earn because he played in Maine the whole year, and also give the Maine Celtics the extra talent they need to win by not depriving them of a key player.

Davison with 23 and 12 with only 2 turnovers. This is his second, and final, season with the Maine Celtics because I believe you can only sign a player for a maximum of 2 years. SOMEONE will sign him, to a G-League contract if not a full NBA one, if Brad doesn't first.

Queta with 20 points, 13 rebounds and 3 blocks. Walsh with 15 on 6-10, 3-4 from 3, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 blocks. Drew Peterson with 20 and 11, 5 assists and 1 turnover.

This is a very talented G-League team. I fully realize the competition is G-League and that if you cannot dominate in G-League you would be doomed in the NBA, but that's what they did here by 20 points against a playoff level opponent. Al will be in his last contract year next year (although I wouldn't be shocked if he retires if we win the Championship. If we don't he'll definitely stick around for one more shot). There is room for a young big coming. Furthermore, with Jrue's extension still unfinished, and Banton gone, there is definitely room for another guard.


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