Celtics Score 51 in 2nd, Make 24 Threes in Blowout Win
December 11, 2021 - NBA G League (G League)
Maine Celtics News Release
MISSISSAUGA, ON - The Maine Celtics, presented by Unum, tied a franchise record with 24 made three-pointers and led by as many as 42 points, topping Raptors 905 134-106 to sweep the two-game series and win their seventh-straight game.
Maine (9-1) is off to its best 10-game start in franchise history. The Celtics scored a whopping 51 points in the second quarter, also a franchise record. Maine also recorded 35 assists on 45 made shots in the win.
Brodric Thomas led Maine with 24 points (6-10 3P), three rebounds, five assists, two steals and three blocks. Chris Clemons had 21 points (4-6 3P), seven rebounds, eight assists and five steals while Sam Hauser had 20 on 3-5 from long-range. Juwan Morgan posted 18 points (4-7 3P), seven rebounds and three assists. Eric Demers put up 15 points, four rebounds and three assists and was +24. Luke Kornet tallied 14 and seven rebounds and Theo Pinson had six points to go with 11 assists.
In a game that originally started at 2 p.m., Thomas flew off of a screen to bury a triple for Maine's first bucket. Wet floor conditions caused a stoppage in play with 9:25 remaining, and the game resumed at 8:00 PM with the Celtics up 3-0. Malachi Flynn splashed a three for the Raptors to tie it upon resumption. Morgan, Kornet and Thomas paced the Maine offense in the first, with Morgan and Thomas finishing the quarter with 8 points each. The Celtics led 23-19 after one.
Jaysean Paige provided his usual spark off the bench, and the Celtics stretched the lead to nine early in the second, 32-23. Hauser was active off-ball, cutting through the lane for easy baskets in his first minutes back from a groin injury. Kornet made a living in the paint and it opened up the perimeter for Maine's shooters to heat back up, opening a 53-36 lead. The Celtics forced turnovers (12 in the first half), moved the ball and played with pace to stretch the lead to 61-38. Demers canned back-to-back corner threes to help set a franchise-record for second-quarter points with 51. Maine led 74-41 at halftime, shooting 64.4 percent (29-45) from the field, 50 percent (11-22) from deep and 75 percent (3-4) from the line. Raptors 905 shot 33.3 percent (14-42) from the field, 23.8 percent (5-21) and 66.7 percent (4-6) from the charity stripe.
Demers hit from distance and Pinson and Kornet each drew free throws to open the second half. The Raptors defense helped chip into Maine's lead, but the Celtics' efficient offense maintained a sizable gap throughout the quarter. Clemons and Thomas each worked their way up to 18 points when the fourth quarter rolled around with the Celtics up 105-69.
The 905 offense picked up in the fourth but the Celtics had already built a large lead and responded in kind to any Raptors' run. Halfway through the quarter, the Raptors had outscored the Celtics 21-8 and cut the lead to 23, 103-90 after trailing by over 40 points earlier in the evening. Paige iced another late push from the Raptors with a corner three and Maine coasted to the buzzer. The Celtics shot 55 percent (44-80) from the field, 50 percent (24-48) from downtown and 91.7 percent (11-12) from the line. The Raptors shot 39.5 percent (35-88) from the field, 26.2 percent (12-44) from distance and 72.2 percent (13-18) from the stripe.
The Celtics return to The Expo for a two-game series with the Long Island Nets starting Thursday, Dec. 16.
Tickets are available by visiting MaineCeltics.com.
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