Nader Leads Red Claws Past Nets
January 6, 2017 - NBA G League (G League)
Maine Celtics News Release
Brooklyn, NY -The Maine Red Claws, presented by Unum, used a very strong 4th quarter to pull away from the Long Island Nets Friday afternoon, 123-104 at Barclays Center.
Abdel Nader finished near a triple-double with 32 points (11-17 shooting), 10 rebounds and 8 assists. Marcus Georges-Hunt added 23 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists in the win, Coron Williams scored 17 points (5-6 from 3 pt. range), Jalen Jones added 14 points and 11 boards, Arthur Edwards scored 12 off the bench, and Dallas Lauderdale had a season-high 10 points on 4-4 shooting.
In the 1st quarter, the Red Claws (14-7) started well offensively, jumping out to a 14-5 lead, thanks to three quick buckets by Lauderdale. Yogi Ferrell and the Nets (7-15) came back, and Lazar Hayward made it a 22-21 lead for Long Island. Arthur Edwards hit a cutting layup inside to give Maine a 25-24 lead after the 1st quarter.
Nader continued to carry the Red Claws offense in the 2nd quarter, making 5 of his first 7 shots. Nader's offensive rebound and reverse put-back gave Maine a 50-45 lead. Taurean Prince drained a long two, then Ferrell stole the ball and drained a three to give the Nets a 53-52 lead. Edwards' steal and Georges-Hunt's lay-up put the Claws back up four in the closing minute of the half, but Ferrell knocked down another three to tie the game at 57. Nader capped off a 17 point first half with a hoop plus the foul, but Chris McCullough slammed home a fast break bucket in the final second to make it 59-59 at halftime. The Red Claws shot 57% (20-35) from the floor in the first half.
Both teams started the 3rd quarter slowly on offense. The Red Claws jumped out to a 71-64 lead, but once again Long Island climbed back, cutting it to three after another Maine turnover in the backcourt. Edwards hit a long three to put Maine up 82-72, the largest lead of the game, but again Long Island fought back, making it an 84-80 game after three.
Malcolm Miller opened the 4th quarter with a corner three, and Coron Williams followed that up with a three of his own, surging Maine to a 92-80 lead. The 10-0 run gave the Claws control of the game, with Nader dropping in a three-point play for good measure. The Red Claws extended the lead to 20+, out-scoring Long Island 39-24 in the 4th quarter, shooting 53% (41-77) from the floor, 36% (12-33) from three-point range and 29-38 from the free throw line. Long Island shot 39% (38-97) from the field, 39% (9-23) from beyond the arc, and 19-23 from the charity stripe.
The Red Claws return home Sunday afternoon for a 1 p.m. matinee against Fort Wayne. Very limited tickets are available by calling 207-210-6655 or visiting MaineRedClaws.com.
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