Boom's Late Rally Falls Short Against Celtics
Published on January 2, 2026 under NBA G League (G League)
Noblesville Boom News Release
PORTLAND, Maine - The Noblesville Boom (3-3), the NBA G League affiliate of the Indiana Pacers, fell to the Maine Celtics (2-4), 108-100, Friday night at the Portland Expo Building in Maine.
The Boom were led by Jalen Slawson, who posted 24 points, six rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Cody Martin followed with 18 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and three steals in his Boom debut, while Kyle Guy contributed 17 points, 10 assists, and six rebounds.
Amari Williams paced the Celtics with a game-high 30 points and 14 rebounds on 12-of-16 shooting from the field. Kendall Brown and Jalen Bridges added 19 points apiece, while Max Shulga recorded 10 points and a team-high nine assists.
The Celtics' 70-point first half propelled them to a 22-point advantage, their largest lead of the half, after connecting on 52.7 percent of their shot attempts during that span. The Celtics had three scorers in double figures, led by Amari Williams with a huge first half, recording 16 points, nine rebounds, three assists, and two steals to help Maine to a 70-42 advantage at the break.
After trailing by 25 points with 8:44 remaining in the third quarter, things began to click for the Boom, closing the period on a 23-5 run to cut their deficit to seven (82-75). Noblesville held Maine to only 12 points on 12.5 percent shooting from the field and 22.2 percent from three-point range. Jalen Slawson led the charge with 10 of his 24 points coming in the third, while the Boom caught fire in the frame, shooting 52.9 percent from the field, including 42.9 percent from beyond the arc. After trading baskets early in the fourth quarter, the Boom found themselves down by four points, their closest deficit since 8:48 (10-6) in the opening period, late in the frame. The Celtics responded after Amari Williams scored the team's final 10 points of the game to fend off the Boom's comeback attempt.
NEXT UP The Boom heads north of the border for a two-game series against Raptors 905, beginning on Tuesday in Mississauga, Ontario. Coverage will be available on ESPN+, with tip-off scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.
Tickets and team updates are available at NoblesvilleBoom.com, and fans can stream every game live at NBAGLeague.com.
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