Celtics Hold Off Long Island to Win Seventh Straight

PORTLAND, Maine. – The Maine Celtics turned a double-digit halftime deficit into a thrilling 107-106 victory over Long Island on Thursday night. Maine has now won seven consecutive games to extend their longest winning streak of the season.

Maine (13-9) was led by Drew Peterson, who finished one rebound shy of a triple-double with 23 points, 9 rebounds, and 10 assists. Kameron Warrens added a career high 19 points, all in the second half. Tristan Enaruna provided a boost off the bench with 13 points and 6 rebounds. Jay Scrubb was also in double figures with 10 points. Maine finished the game 44-104 (42.3%) and 15-43 (34.9%) from three.

Maine was playing without Two-Way Player JD Davison, who missed just his third game of the season to participate in Friday night's Castrol Rising Stars Challenge in San Francisco, California.

Long Island (7-11) was led by 30 points, 6 rebounds, and five assists from Killian Hayes. Drew Timme recorded a double-double with 18 points and 14 rebounds and Mark Armstrong added 18 points off the bench. The Nets shot 45-93 (48.4%) from the floor and 8-32 (25%) from three.

Rebounding was key in Maine's victory, as the Celtics outrebounded the Nets 61-42 and grabbed 25 total offensive rebounds. Hason Ward led the team with 14 rebounds. Banks and Peterson each snagged nine for Maine, who is now 12-2 when they outrebound their opponent.

The Nets jumped out to an early lead in the first quarter as Killian Hayes accounted for 12 of Long Island's first 14 points. Despite struggling to shoot, Maine created offense with their rebounding. The Celtics grabbed 12 offensive rebounds in the first quarter alone, and claimed a 28-27 lead over the Nets through one.

Long Island dominated the second quarter, outscoring the Celtics 34-22 in the frame. After Hayes set the tone in the first, Drew Timme played off his point guard to drop 12 points in the second to lead the Nets run. While Long Island was 50% from the floor in the quarter, offense was hard to come by for Maine who were just 9-23 in the quarter. Long Island led by as many as 16 in the second quarter, and a made basket by Tristan Enaruna with 11.2 seconds left in the half pulled Maine within 11, 61-50 at the break.

Kameron Warrens took over in the third quarter. Warrens led a defensive counterattack from the Celtics that quickly erased the Nets' double-digit lead. Scoring on transition layups and open three-point shots, Warrens poured in 17 points to lead Maine to a 39-point third quarter. Warrens finished with 19 points, a new career-high to go with three steals and three rebounds. Jay Scrubb punctuated the Celtics run with a heady pass ahead to Drew Peterson for a buzz-beating layup to give Maine a 89-84 advantage entering the final quarter.

Offense was much harder to come by in the fourth quarter for both teams. After trailing for the majority of the second half, Armstrong's 18-foot jumper with 7:33 to play tied the game up at 95. Anxiety began to build in an Expo crowd that's seen six games go to overtime this season. That would not be the case on Thursday night, as Peterson led the Celtics offense down the stretch. Tied at 97, Peterson's fifth triple of the night broke the tie to give Maine a three-point advantage. A lay-up by Warrens would put Maine back in front by five, a lead that they would hold until the final minute. Leading 107-104, Maine held off multiple shot attempts by Long Island down the stretch to preserve the narrow 107-106 victory and extend the winning streak to seven games ahead of the NBA All-Star break.

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Drew Peterson was the Player of the Game after leading Maine with 23 points, 9 rebounds, and 10 assists.

THE ROAD AHEAD: Maine will have some time off for NBA All-Star Weekend before returning to action on February 20 against the Indiana Mad Ants at 12:30 p.m. The game will broadcast live on ESPN+.