Celtics can clinch playoff berth with win over Charge

PORTLAND, Maine. - Entering the final game of the Regular Season, the magic number is one for the Maine Celtics.

Maine (17-18) will host the Cleveland Charge (22-11) on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. at the Portland Expo. If the Maine Celtics win, they will clinch a spot in the NBA G League Playoffs presented by Google. Cleveland is currently third in the Eastern Conference, and is hoping to secure home court advantage for the first round of the postseason.

The game will be broadcast live on NBC Sports Boston and ESPN+. The Celtics beat the Charge in the first meeting between the teams on Sunday, 121-91.

Kendall Brown scored 26 points on 9-12 shooting across 30 minutes on the floor, without playing a second of the fourth quarter. Brown was one of seven Celtics to finish the day in double figures. Jalen Bridges scored 16 behind 4-7 shooting from three. John Tonje scored 12 points, Hayden Gray posted 11 and Hasan Ward collected 10 to round out the Maine starting five. Keon Johnson scored 15 off the bench, and Max Shulga poured in 12 in relief as well.

Shulga pulled double duty on Sunday, becoming the first player in Celtics history to score in the NBA G League and in the NBA in the same day. Shulga played 28 minutes while on assignment in the Celtics' win over the Charge, then scored four points with Boston against the Minnesota Timberwolves later that night.

On Sunday, Maine held their opponent to under 100 points for the tenth time this season. Maine is undefeated when holding their opponent under 100, and they'll have a tough test ahead of them again on Tuesday. Cleveland boats the NBA G League's top offensive rating, and is second in points per game averaging just under 125 PPG. In the first meeting between the two sides, former Maine Celtic and Cleveland Two-Way Tristan Enaruna led the Charge with 21 points in a losing effort. Miller Kopp notched 16 points for Cleveland while Sean McNeil and Zeke Mayo both scored 11. Warith Alatishe ripped down a game-high 15 rebounds for the Charge, and Darius Brown dished out 12 assists. 

Maine will rely on a packed Portland Expo to help secure a key win Tuesday night against the Charge and clinch a playoff berth for the fourth consecutive season. Limited tickets are still available here.