Raptors 905 Drops Maine in Game 1 of East Finals
April 16, 2017 - NBA G League (G League)
Maine Celtics News Release
PORTLAND, Maine - Maine Red Claws, presented by Unum, were defeated at home on Sunday afternoon by the Raptors 905 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, 109-84. The best-of-three series will now shift to Mississauga for Game 2 and Game 3, if necessary.
Leading the way for Maine in the loss was Jordan Mickey, on assignment from the Boston Celtics, who scored 21 points on 7/15 from the floor, and grabbed 12 rebounds. Abdel Nader scored 14 points on 3/16 shooting and 8/8 from the line. Jalen Jones scored 9 points and grabbed 8 rebounds. Demetrius Jackson scored 7 points while going 1/5 from the floor. Guerschon Yabusele scored a bench high 9 points going 3/7 from the floor in 28 minutes. C.J. Leslie led Raptors 905 with 33 points off the bench.
In the 1st quarter, Mickey kicked the Maine scoring off with a layup while getting fouled and connecting on the free throw, trailing the 905 5-3. Pascal Siakam who was on assignment from the Toronto Raptors drove to the rim and made a tough layup that extended the 905 lead to 11-3 with just over six minutes left in the quarter. After trailing 11-3, Maine climbed back into the game with two three pointers from Cameron Ayers, making the score 13-11 In the 905 favor. Yabusele scored his first basket and was fouled, making the free throw, that cut the 905 lead down to 1 point, 15-14. After trailing by 1, Maine fell back 21-14 after the 905 went on a quick 6-0 run. 905 closed the quarter out on a 14-3 run which gave them a 29-17 lead heading into the 2nd quarter. Ayers led the Red Claws with 6 points in the quarter, while CJ Leslie scored a quarter high 13 points of the bench for the 905.
In the 2nd quarter, Mickey was fouled on a layup attempt, and made both shots at the line, the score was 29-19. After dropping back to being down by 13 points, Mickey made a dunk that cut the 905 lead back to 11 points, 36-25. Demetrius Jackson, also on assignment from Boston, made a tough layup that cut the 905 lead down to 10, 39-29. With under five minutes left in the half, Maine found themselves down by 13 points again, 44-31.
Abdel Nader, the D-League rookie of the year, went to the line for Maine late in the quarter, making both attempts and cutting the lead back to 11, 46-35. Yabusele hit a turnaround hook shot that cut the 905 lead down to 7, 46-39. Jalen Jones drained a three on a dish from Jackson a few possessions later, cutting the lead to 4 points, 46-42. The 905 went into halftime with a 50-44 lead over Maine. Leading the scoring for Maine in the half was Mickey with 13 points, while Siakam and Leslie paced the 905 with 14 each.
In the 3rd quarter, Maine started slow, while the 905 scored the first pair of baskets, extending their lead to 10, 54-44. Maine didn't score until the 9:10 mark when Nader made a pair of free throws, the 905 led 56-46. Nader finished off a layup with just under seven minutes in the quarter, making the score 58-51. Halfway through the quarter, Maine trailed the 905 by 8 points, 60-52. Maine fell behind the 905 by 13, 65-52 after Siakam made a turnaround jump shot over Yabusele. Maine fell back even more after the 905 went on a run, they trailed 71-53 with three minutes left in the quarter. The 905 increased their lead over Maine going up by 25 points after a put back from Antwaine Wiggins, the score was 81-56. Maine closed the quarter out hitting back to back three pointers, heading into the fourth and final quarter trailing the 905 83-64. In the 4th, Jones scored a layup and was fouled, connecting on the free throw for Maine, cutting the 905 lead to 18, 85-67. Maine dropped back 20 points again after Siakam made a layup over Mickey.
Maine fell behind by 23 points after Christian Watford made a 3-pointer, with the score was 94-71. Halfway through the final quarter, Maine trailed the 905 99-71. Maine trailed by as much as 30 points in the quarter, and never got anything going. Maine lost to the 905 109-84 and fell behind in the series 1-0 to the Raptors D-League affiliate. Maine was 25/68 (36.8%) from the floor as a team, while going 8/30 (26.7%) from downtown. Maine finished 26/30 from the free throw line. Maine turned the ball over 23 times. Raptors 905 finished 41/94 (43.6%) from the floor, 9/35 (25.7%) from 3pt land, and 18/25 from the line. The 905 only turned the ball over 10 times.
Maine will head on the road for game 2 and if necessary game 3 on Wednesday 4/19 and Thursday 4/20. The game on Wednesday will tip at 7pm and can be watched on ESPNU, while Thursday's game can be seen on Facebook Live.
• Discuss this story on the NBA G League message board...
NBA G League Stories from April 16, 2017
- Raptors 905 Drops Maine in Game 1 of East Finals - Maine Celtics
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
