Celtics Can't Comeback a Second Time in 129-123 Loss to Long Island

UNIONDALE, N.Y. - Multiple comebacks by the Maine Celtics came up short on Friday night as the Celtics fell to the Long Island Nets 129-123 in the first game of the 2024-25 NBA G League Tip-Off Tournament.  

JD Davison and Baylor Scheierman each scored 31 points to lead all scorers. It’s just the eighth time in franchise history that two Maine players scored 30 or more points in the same game. Davison came up just shy of his third career triple-double, finishing with 31 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds. Scheierman, on assignment from Boston, also dished out seven assists and grabbed seven rebounds.  

Five Long Island players scored in double figures, led by 23 points on 8-11 shooting from Amari Bailey. A.J. Lawson added 21 points and Killian Hayes finished with 19 points and eight assists in his NBA G League debut. Long Island shot 50% from the floor as a team and led by as many as 20 points in the game.

Long Island jumped out to a blistering hot start in the first quarter, claiming an early 9-0 lead. The Celtics couldn’t slow down the Nets, who would score 18 consecutive points, converting on their first seven field goal attempts to start the game. Meanwhile, Maine struggled to find their rhythm on offense, turning the ball over six times as the Celtics shook off the rust from the offseason. No rust for the Nets however, as Long Island shot 60% from the floor in the quarter and Dariq Whitehead scored 11 points to hold a 39-27 lead over Maine after one.  

Hayes picked up right where the Nets left off to start the second quarter, burying another one from deep to extend the lead to 19, Long Island’s largest lead of the game. Searching for an answer, the Celtics would respond on the defensive side of the ball, energized by the play of Hason Ward off the bench. Ward blocked four shots in the first half, while Davison helped settle down the offense. The three-year Celtics guard led the team with 14 points and seven assists in the first half as Maine began to cut into the Long Island lead. Schierman provided a much-needed spark on the bench for the Celtics. On assignment from Boston, the 2024 first-round draft pick erupted for 10 points in the quarter as the Celtics cut the lead down to eight late in the second quarter. Still, 17 points and five assists by Killian Hayes helped the Nets carry a 67-56 lead into halftime.

Maine continued to cut into the Long Island lead to start the third quarter, beginning the second half on a 25-13 run. Ron Harper Jr. knocked down his fourth triple of the game to pull Maine within six. Then, the comeback was complete as Scheierman continued to assert himself on offense in his first game with Maine. The rookie scored 13 points in the third, including a 3-point play with 6:44 to play to deliver the Celtics their first lead of the game, 81-80. But in a game of runs, the Nets answered with a 27-9 run to quickly re-establish their advantage and lead the Celtics 106-89 entering the fourth quarter.  

Harper Jr. continued his sharpshooting ways in the fourth quarter. The Celtics guard knocked down his sixth triple of the game with 7:16 remaining to pull Maine back within single digits. Harper finished the night with 18 points, converting on 6-of-13 attempts from beyond the arc. Scheierman continued his strong effort with another three with 3:17 to play to pull back within six, as Maine mustered one final attempt at another comeback. Scheierman was also 6-13 from deep in the game. But this time, the Celtics’ effort would come up short as Long Island snagged timely offensive rebounds and converted on 14 of 15 trips to the free throw line to hand Maine their first loss of the season, 129-123.  

Maine (0-1) will continue their short road trip as the team travels to face the Delaware Blue Coats on Monday. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. The Celtics will return home to Portland, Maine for the team’s home opener on Friday, November 15 at 7:00 p.m.