Magic Take Control Late to Top Maine Celtics
March 18, 2022 - NBA G League (G League)
Maine Celtics News Release
PORTLAND, ME - The Maine Celtics, presented by Unum, led late in the game but couldn't come through in the closing seconds, falling to the Lakeland Magic, 106-103.
Matt Ryan dropped 37 points on 8-14 shooting from deep, along with six rebounds for Maine. Luke Kornet added 15 points, seven rebounds and six assists off the bench. Brodric Thomas had 13 points and five assists. Denzel Valentine finished with 12 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists in his return to the lineup. Deonte Burton and Juwan Morgan each posted nine points, with Burton tallying nine rebounds.
BJ Johnson led the Magic with 31 points, seven rebounds and three steals. Jeff Dowtin Jr. totaled 19 points, seven rebounds and three steals. Jaire Grayer put up 14 points and eight rebounds. TJ Haws registered 13 points.
Ryan came flying off of a screen and buried a three from the left wing to start the game. Burton stole the ball on Lakeland's first possession, throwing down a highlight-reel jam moments later. Thomas buried a corner triple, helping the Celtics to an early 9-0 lead. Grayer's 1-for-2 free throw put Lakeland on the board, and they put together an 11-3 run to get within one, trailing 12-11. Valentine checked in just under the seven-minute mark for the first time since breaking his hand on Feb. 6. Johnson's versatile scoring got Lakeland ahead, 17-15, but it wasn't long before Kornet found a cutting Ryan to tie it at 23. After a slower-paced quarter that saw both teams shoot below 33 percent from deep, the Magic led 30-28.
A 7-0 Lakeland run extended their lead to 10 in the first minute and four seconds of the second quarter. Isaiah Cousins chased down Haws for an emphatic rejection. Thomas sunk a pair of threes and Ryan banked one in from above the break to cut Maine's deficit to seven, 49-42. Valentine's steal and hit-ahead pass to a streaking Kornet made it a two-possession game and capped off an 11-4 run by Maine. Both teams traded buckets as the second wound down, with the Magic taking a 56-55 advantage into the locker room. The Celtics shot 19-38 (50 percent) from the floor, 9-23 (39.1 percent) from downtown and 4-5 (80 percent) from the stripe in the first half. The Magic shot 20-45 (44.4 percent) from the floor, 5-17 (29.4 percent) from downtown and 7-9 (77.8 percent) from the stripe.
Johnson opened the second half with a 20-footer, initiating a 9-2 solo run on the Celtics that put the Magic ahead by eight, a lead they'd hold for much of the quarter. Johnson's length and athleticism when attacking the basket gave Maine trouble all night long. Valentine hit his first three since returning, and Ryan racked up 11 points in the third to help the Celtics chip away at the deficit, cutting it to 80-75. Jannis Timma and Morgan got a bit physical, culminating in Morgan earning a trip to the line. Valentine's triple fell through just before the buzzer to make it 85-82 after three.
The Celtics began the fourth quarter on a 7-2 run. Burton pulled up from deep in rhythm and sank it to put Maine on top, 89-87, however Johnson's second three of the game would give the Magic the lead back. Lakeland began to double the red-hot Ryan, though it was to little avail as he knocked down back-to-back threes to give the Celtics a 99-97 lead. Dowtin Jr.'s backcourt steal on a Maine inbound tied it at 99. Ryan back-cut his defender for a layup and Thomas nailed a 14-foot step-back to put the Celtics up 103-99, but those would be the last points they scored as Lakeland controlled the pace and shut down Maine's final possession to seal the win. The Celtics shot 36-74 (48.6 percent) from the floor, 16-41 (39 percent) from distance and 8-11 (72.7 percent) from the line. The Magic went 38-91 (41.8 percent) from the floor, 9-38 (23.7 percent) from deep and 13-15 (86.7 percent) from the line.
The Maine Celtics will depart for a two-game road trip, facing the Delaware Blue Coats on March 20 and the College Park Skyhawks on March 22. The Celtics take on the Fort Wayne Mad Ants at the Expo on March 27.
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