Celtics seek series sweep at Westchester

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. - The Maine Celtics look to win their sixth consecutive game when they face the Westchester Knicks at 3 p.m. on Sunday. Maine beat the Knicks 98-84 on Friday night.

The Celtics (5-3)  earned their first road victory of the NBA G League Tip-Off Tournament on Friday. Hason Ward recorded a triple-double with 14 points, 11 rebounds and a career-high 10 blocks. Hayden Gray scored a career-high 24 points off the bench on an efficient 8-12 shooting (4-5 from three) to lead all scorers. Jalen Bridges added 15 points and Max Shulga scored 14 as Maine shot 44% (33-75) from the floor, including 29.7% (11-37) from three. Gray and Bridges each snagged three steals as Westchester turned the ball over 22 times which resulted in 28 points for the Celtics.

Ward is the first Celtic to record a triple-double since Drew Peterson on March 20, 2025, vs Osceola. It's just the third triple-double in franchise history with 10 blocks or more. Jordan Mickey had 13 points, 13 rebounds and 10 blocked shots on December 31, 2015, against Texas and Fab Melo recorded a G League record 14 blocks to go with 15 points and 16 rebounds on December 22, 2012, against the Erie BayHawks.

Led by Ward, Maine recorded a season-high 14 blocks in Friday's win. Maine is now second in the G League in blocks per game (7.6) and Ward is third among G League players (3.0).

Dink Pate led Westchester (1-5) with 19 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Toby Okani recorded a double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds. Donovan Williams scored 14 points and grabbed 9 rebounds, and Nick Jourdain finished with 13 points, 7 rebounds and 4 steals. The Knicks shot just 31.3% (31-99) from the floor and 19.6% (9-46) from three. The Knicks are currently the top rebounding the team in the NBA G League, averaging 52.3 rebounds per game this season.

Maine is currently second in the East division of the NBA G League Tip-Off Tournament, two games behind unbeaten Raptors 905. Westchester is in eighth. Including Sunday's battle with the the Knicks, just six games remain on the Tip-Off schedule. The teams with the best winning percentage in each region, along with the next four teams with the best winning percentages regardless of region, will advance to compete for the Championship at the NBA G League Winter Showcase. Every team will play at least two games at the Winter Showcase.

Sunday's game at 3 p.m. will broadcast live on NBA TV and over the radio at 96.3 The Big Jab. Maine returns home to the Portland Expo on December 6 and 7 against College Park. Tickets are available here.