LI Nets Defeat Celtics Behind Ben Saraf's 32 Points
G League Long Island Nets

LI Nets Defeat Celtics Behind Ben Saraf's 32 Points

Published on February 25, 2026 under NBA G League (G League)
Long Island Nets News Release


LONG ISLAND - The Long Island Nets (15-10), the NBA G League affiliate of the Brooklyn Nets, defeated the Maine Celtics (12-14), 116-109, on Wednesday night at Nassau Coliseum.

Brooklyn Nets assignee guard Ben Saraf led the way with 32 points on 63.1 percent (12-for-19) shooting from the field and 50 percent (3-for-6) shooting from long range. Saraf scored or assisted on 13 of the team's first 15 points in the game and finished with three rebounds, four assists and a block in 32 minutes. Brooklyn two-way forward Chaney Johnson put up 19 points on 66.7 percent (8-for-12) shooting from the field while grabbing eight rebounds, three steals and two blocks in 31 minutes off the bench. Long Island guard Malachi Smith added 10 points, nine rebounds and a team-high nine assists along with a pair of steals in 28 minutes.

Brooklyn two-way guard Tyson Etienne scored 12 points with two assists and three steals in 30 minutes. Etienne shot 50 percent (4-for-8) from deep and became the first player in franchise history to make 250 3-pointers with Long Island. Long Island forward Tre Scott pitched in with 13 points, two rebounds and a block while shooting 71.4 percent (5-for-7) from the field and 75 percent (3-for-4) from long range in 21 minutes off the bench. Brooklyn two-way forward E.J. Liddell finished with 13 points, nine rebounds, four assists and a steal in 36 minutes.

Maine went on a 15-4 run from 11:20 to 8:31 in the first quarter before Long Island responded with an 11-0 spurt from 8:18 to 6:02 in the first. The Nets shot 50 percent (9-for-18) from the field and 57.1 percent (4-for-7) from beyond the arc to end the first quarter with a 27-26 lead. The Nets outrebounded Maine 12-7 in the second quarter to overcome a 9-0 Celtics run from 9:08 to 7:03 in the second frame and enter the locker room down by a single possession at halftime, 59-56.

Long Island took control of a tightly-contested third quarter with a 29-6 run from 7:55 to 1:19 in the third. The Nets scored 22 points in the paint in the third to match the team's season high for points in the paint in a single quarter. Long Island also shot 61.5 percent (16-for-26) from the field and 50 percent (5-for-10) from deep to take a 93-83 advantage into the final frame. Both teams traded runs in the fourth, but the Nets held on for a 116-109 victory. Long Island scored 25 points off turnovers after halftime to set the team's season high for points off turnovers in a single half. The Nets dominated the second-chance battle by a margin of 18-7 while outscoring Maine 62-34 in the paint.

Guard Max Shulga led the Celtics in scoring with 24 points to go with six rebounds and three assists in 41 minutes. Center Amari Williams finished with a triple-double of 19 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in 36 minutes.

The Nets will host the Grand Rapids Gold on Thursday, Feb. 26, at 7 p.m. ET, while Maine will return home to host the Windy City Bulls on Friday, Feb. 27, at 7 p.m. ET.

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NBA G League Stories from February 25, 2026


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