Celtics Finish Strong To Sweep Knicks

Celtics Finish Strong To Sweep Away Westchester

Maine shot 53.6 percent from the field as a team, outrebounded Westchester 51-35 

PORTLAND, ME – The Maine Celtics, presented by Unum, earned a second-consecutive win over the Westchester Knicks, this time 121-114, to open the 2022-23 G League season with a 2-0 record. 

Luka Šamanić and Marial Shayok each totaled 20 points to lead Maine (2-0) in scoring. Šamanić finished with 10 rebounds for the double-double while Shayok added eight rebounds and six assists. Denzel Valentine put up an 18-point, 10-rebound double-double with four assists while Kamar Baldwin totaled 17 points, seven rebounds and five assists. JD Davison recorded 17 points, four rebounds and seven assists. Mfiondu Kabengele had 11 points, nine rebounds and three assists. Scottie Lindsey dropped in 11 points off the bench. 

James Akinjo led Westchester (0-2) with 40 points on 5-10 shooting from downtown, adding four rebounds and nine assists. Feron Hunt chipped in 23 points, nine rebounds and three assists. Garrison Brooks had 15 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and four steals for the double-double. Trevor Keels and MJ Walker each posted 10 points. 

Maine won the opening tip and quickly grabbed the lead on a layup from Šamanić. Davison was active on the glass in the early-going again, creating an open three for Shayok on a second-chance opportunity. Akinjo’s dribble penetration offered some reliable offense for Westchester, but the Celtics offense began to outpace the Knicks as the quarter wore on. Two-Way players Davison and Kabengele connected for a highlight-reel lob on the break that ignited the Expo crowd and Shayok buried three more from downtown, giving himself 12 quick points and helping build a six-point lead for Maine, 21-15. The second unit maintained the up-tempo pace Maine started the game with; Kendall Smith’s streaking layup and Baldwin’s backcourt steal pushed the lead out to double-digits, though Walker and the Knicks would respond and cut down on the lead in the closing minutes of the first. After one, Maine led 32-27. 

The Celtics’ ball movement picked up where it left off against the Knicks on Friday, recording 11 assists on their first 16 made field goals. Maine’s defense soon caught up to its efficient scoring, forcing turnovers and getting out on the break to generate some easy buckets. Valentine roped a full-court baseball pass to Shayok, who finished it off with an and-one. Davison took it full court for an electrifying dunk and repeatedly found Šamanić on the interior – Maine’s size in the frontcourt was a huge advantage throughout the weekend series. Following an officials review of a foul call less than two seconds before the half, the Celtics took a 13-point lead into the locker room, 67-54. Maine shot 60 percent (27-45) from the floor, 36.4 percent (8-22) from deep and 4-6 (66.7 percent) from the line. Westchester shot 50 percent (21-42) from the floor, 23.5 percent (4-17) from distance and 4-6 (66.7 percent) from the stripe in the first half. 

Westchester pounced on the Celtics’ struggles to finish early in the third quarter, cutting their deficit to seven, 73-66. Davison and Kabengele’s connection on the break and in ball-screen actions helped the Celtics bounce back and Valentine’s deep triple put them back ahead by double-digits, though Akinjo’s scoring and distributing was keeping the Knicks in it. Baldwin provided a spark off the bench late in the third, getting to the rim and providing a floor-spacing threat whenever he gave the ball up. A back-and-forth end to the quarter that saw the Knicks slice into the lead before Valentine canned a triple to beat the buzzer and give Maine a 95-85 lead heading into the fourth. 

Akinjo buried an 11-footer and Davison hit a spinning layup to get the final frame started. Maine’s pace slowed down slightly, and the Knicks took advantage with an 11-5 run that brought them within four, 102-98 with 6:55 left. As was the case in the season-opener, Westchester was able to make a game of it, forcing turnovers and taking advantage of the scrambling Celtics defense to claim their first lead of the game, 105-104 with 4:34 remaining. A failed coach’s challenge by the Knicks halted the game just under a minute later, with Šamanić burying the ensuing 1-for-2 free throw to give Maine the lead back. Valentine splashed home a clutch three on the next trip, Kabengele converted his own 1-for-2 and Baldwin finished a finger-roll through contact, hitting the free throw to stretch Maine’s lead back to seven, 116-109. Head coach Alex Barlow utilized the coach’s challenge himself in the final two minutes to save Kabengele from fouling out, though the call stood, and Davison was inserted into the closing lineup in his place. He would nail all four late-game free throws as the Celtics collected their second-straight victory over the Knicks to open the 2022-23 season, 121-114. 

Maine finished the game at 53.6 percent (45-84) from the field, 30.8 percent (12-39) from long-range and 15-19 (78.9 percent) from the stripe. Westchester shot 48.3 percent (43-89) from the field, 10-35 (28.6 percent) from distance and 10-17 (58.8 percent) from the line. 

The Celtics will travel to Uniondale, N.Y. to face the Long Island Nets on Nov. 13 and 15 before returning to the Expo for a back-to-back against the Capital City Go-Go on Nov. 17 and 18.