Nader, Jones Lead Red Claws to Victory
November 20, 2016 - NBA G League (G League)
Maine Celtics News Release
Portland, MAINE - November 20, 2016 - The Maine Red Claws, presented by Unum, relied on strong performances by Abdel Nader and Jalen Jones to roll to another victory Sunday at the Portland Expo, 116-93 over the Grand Rapids Drive.
Maine (4-1) was led by Nader with 33 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists. Jones added 15 points, 13 rebounds and 7 assists, while Damion Lee added 24 points on 9-15 shooting (5-7 from downtown) to go with 5 rebounds and 7 assists. Grand Rapids (2-1) was led by Kevin Murphy with 21 points off the bench.
Marcus Georges-Hunt (8 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists) got the game started for Maine, following up his triple-double Friday night with the first bucket and then assisting on the second of the game. The Drive went on a 10-0 run, capped off by back-to-back three's by Murphy and Upshaw to take the lead. Asauhn Dixon-Tatum continued his strong play on the offensive glass, putting back a couple of buckets for the Claws, but at the end of the 1st quarter, Grand Rapids led the game 30-23.
The Red Claws started to get into an offensive rhythm in the 2nd quarter. Nader drained a three to cut the deficit to two. Jones' three-pointer gave Maine the lead at 35-34. The Red Claws went on an 8-0 run after a technical foul on Drive Head Coach Rex Walters, capped off by a J.J. Panoske offensive rebound which led to a Panoske three-pointer. Nader and Jones capped off the half with trey's of their own, and Jones rocked the rim to finish off a 9 point, 11 rebound first half. Nader dropped 20 points in the first two quarters, but Jordan Crawford dropped in two three's for Grand Rapids, and Maine's lead at the break was 62-57.
The Red Claws entered the 3rd quarter heating up from long distance. Damion Lee drained back-to-back three's to extend Maine's lead to 73-63. Coron Williams' three-ball capped off a 13-3 run for Maine, extending the lead to 14. The Red Claws out-scored the Drive 31-22 in the third period, finishing with a 94-78 lead heading into the fourth. Nader put it away in the 4th quarter, draining a three and then converting a three-point play on the following possession, after grabbing the rebound on defense. The Red Claws' lead surged to 21 points at 106-85. Williams and the Red Claws bench helped put the game away. Maine shot 50% (41-82) from the floor, and 40% (16-40) from three-point range.
The Red Claws will face Fort Wayne at home on Tuesday night. It is the first ever Tuesday home game for Maine. Tickets are on sale now by calling 207-210-6655 or visiting MaineRedClaws.com
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