Red Claws to Open Playoffs Thursday April 11 at Home
April 7, 2013 - NBA G League (G League)
Maine Celtics News Release
PORTLAND, ME - The Maine Red Claws will take on the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in the first round of the 2013 NBA Development League Playoffs. As the lower seed, Maine will host the opening game of the series with second, and if necessary, third game of the series being played in Hildalgo, TX:
Game 1 Thursday, April 11 Rio Grande Valley @ Maine 7 PM
Game 2 Saturday, April 13 Maine @ Rio Grande Valley 7 PM
Game 3 (if necessary) Monday, April 15 Maine @ Rio Grande Valley 7 PM
Maine will enter the playoffs as the 8th seed and were selected by Rio Grande Valley, the 2nd seed, as their first round opponent. In the NBADL, the three division winners select their first round opponent from the 5th - 8th seeds. Each of the three rounds of the NBA Development League Playoffs will be a best-of-three series with the low seed hosting the opening game and the high seed hosting games 2 and 3, if necessary.
The Red Claws and Vipers faced each other twice this season with Rio Grande Valley winning both games. The two teams have been infrequent opponents, meeting just eleven times over four seasons. RGV holds the decisive edge in the all-time series, 1-10. Red Claws head coach Mike Taylor served as the Vipers Assistant Coach last season before being hired by the Boston Celtics to lead the Red Claws this season.
2012-13 marks the first time the Red Claws have qualified for the postseason in the team's four-season history. The team just missed the playoffs in 2009-10 by virtue of a tiebreaker. Maine's 3rd place East Division finish was the top finish in team history, surpassing the team's 4th place Eastern Conference finish in its inaugural season of 2009-10. The nine NBA contracts signed by two players (Shelvin Mack - Washington (1), Philadelphia (2), Atlanta (3) and DaJuan Summers - LA Clippers (3)) this season is also a team-high; the previous high was five (Mario West -Atlanta (3), New Jersey and Magnum Rolle - Atlanta) in 2009-10.
PLAYOFF TICKETS ON SALE TOMORROW: Tickets for the Red Claws first round game will go on sale tomorrow morning at 8:30 AM and will be available at the Red Claws Team Store located at 413 Congress Street in Portland, by phone at 207-210-6655 or online at www.maineredclaws.com or www.ticketreturn.com.
NBA G League Stories from April 7, 2013
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- Golden State Warriors Sign Scott Machado to 10-Day Contract - Santa Cruz Warriors
- Top Seeded Jam to Play Austin Toros in First Round of NBA D-League Playoffs - Bakersfield Jam
- Mad Ants to Play Santa Cruz in First Round of Playoffs - Indiana Mad Ants
- No. 2 Vipers to Play No. 8 Maine Red Claws In Round One of NBA D-League Playoffs - Rio Grande Valley Vipers
- 66ers to Face Canton Charge in First Round - Tulsa 66ers
- Red Claws to Open Playoffs Thursday April 11 at Home - Maine Celtics
- 2013 NBA Development League Playoffs Tip off April 10 - G League
- Santa Cruz's Scott Machado Signs with Golden State Warriors - G League
- Lamb and Liggins Recalled from Tulsa 66ers - Tulsa 66ers
- Santa Cruz Warriors End Regular Season With League's Third-Best Record - Santa Cruz Warriors
- Weaver's Triple-Double Helps Lift Canton over Reno - Cleveland Charge
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