Mickey's Triple-Double Helps Red Claws Beat Legends
Published on December 31, 2015 under NBA G League (G League)
Maine Celtics News Release
Portland, ME - The Maine Red Claws, presented by Unum, powered their way to their fourth straight win with the help of a trio of Boston Celtics assigned players, including a triple-double from Jordan Mickey, as they handed the Texas Legends a New Year's Eve loss Thursday afternoon in the Portland Expo, 119-112.
Mickey finished with 13 points, 13 rebounds and 10 blocks for the 9th triple-double in Red Claws history, and the first since Tim Frazier's on March 5, 2015. It is the Red Claws' first triple-double with blocks since Fab Melo completed the feat on Dec. 22, 2012.
Also on assignment from the Boston Celtics, R.J. Hunter -in his Red Claws debut - finished with 28 points, 5 rebounds and 7 assists. Terry Rozier added 15 points and 13 assists in the win.
The Red Claws (10-6) began the contest in a shot for shot shootout with the Legends (7-8), with Omari Johnson scoring 10 points on 4-6 shooting in the quarter, matched by Tu Holloway's 11 points on 4-7 shooting. RJ Hunter, making his Red Claws debut on assignment from Boston, poured in seven points and fellow Celtics rookie Terry Rozier added five points and three assists in the frame. Texas got seven from Toure' Murry and six each from Michael Eric and Brandon Ashley as the visitors took a 39-34 lead into the second.
The Red Claws battled back in the second, as Johnson was again the hot hand, tallying seven more points on 3-5 shooting, with Hunter, Malcolm Miller and Coty Clarke all adding six as Maine swung the game back in their favor. Holloway poured in 10 more for the Legends, but it wasn't quite enough to take the lead into the locker room as the Red Claws led 65-64 at the half. Mickey went into the break with five points, 10 rebounds and four blocks.
Both offenses cooled a little in the third quarter, as Maine got six from Mickey in the quarter, along with three more blocked shots while also getting four apiece from Rozier and Levi Randolph. Rozier also added four assists in the quarter. Manny Harris (6 points) and Murry (five) led a Texas comeback bid, facilitated by Holloway's six assists in the frame to give the Legends an 87-85 lead heading into the final 12 minutes.
Maine buckled down in the final quarter, holding Texas to 25 points while pouring in 34 of their own to close out the victory. Harris tried to put the Legends on his back, scoring 18 in the quarter, but Hunter's 13 and Clarke's 12 points in the quarter were enough of a boost to pull away and Mickey blocked Harris' shot with 40.9 seconds remaining to secure the first triple-double of the season for the Red Claws and come away with the 119-112 victory.
The Legends were led by Harris (28 points, 10 rebounds) while also getting a double-double from Holloway (25 points, 11 assists). Texas also got solid scoring efforts from Murry (17 points, five rebounds), Eric (11 points, nine rebounds) and Ashley (11).
The Red Claws were led by Hunter (28 points, seven assists, five rebounds), while also getting 24 points and seven rebounds from Clarke and 23 points from Johnson, who also had seven rebounds. Rounding out the
Red Claws in double-figures were Rozier (15 points, 13 assists) and Mickey's triple-double (13 points, 13 rebounds, 10 blocks).
The Red Claws will host the defending champion Santa Cruz Warriors on Saturday night at 7:00pm, and the Delaware 87ers on Sunday at 5:00pm. The Legends host the Rio Grande Valley Vipers on Saturday at 7:00pm.
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