Crushing The Numbers - Dec. 13, 2023

Want to know exactly how the Maine Celtics are getting it done on the court? Crushing the Numbers takes a deep dive into the G League stats to see what the numbers say about the statistical areas and categories the Celtics have excelled in. 

With a 12-game sample size on our hands, the Maine Celtics have put enough on paper to delve into the statistical trends and areas of strength we see displayed on the court. The Celtics are a high-octane offense powered by efficient long-range shooting and second chance points with first-year head coach Blaine Mueller at the helm.  

Led by reigning G League Player of the Week JD Davison, Maine’s offense has shown no indication of slowing down any time soon. Let’s crush some numbers and examine how Mueller and the Celtics have constructed one of the G League’s best offenses to this point. 

The Celtics boast the #5 offense in the league, thanks in large part to the host of efficient shooters and active rebounders littered throughout the roster. Maine ranks 24^th in pace of play but is top-7 in both 3-point makes per game and percentage – regardless of how quickly the offense gets up the floor, it is hard to stop the Celtics when the shooters get rolling, particularly Jordan Schakel and Tony Snell. Among players averaging at least three 3PM per game, Schakel ranks third in percentage at 42.9%, with Snell not far behind at 2.1 3PM and 42.4% from deep. 

The catalyst of the offense is unquestionably Davison; the second-year point guard is averaging 23.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 8.8 assists, making him the only player in the G League averaging at least 20/4/8 this season. During his Player of the Week run from Dec. 4-10, those averages bumped up to 27 points, 4.3 rebounds, 9.7 assists, 2.3 steals and 1 block, shooting 53.7% from the field and 54.5% from downtown. Davison ranks ninth in points per game, fourth in free throw attempts per game, second in usage rate, and he leads the league in assists per game on the season. Simply put, Davison is one of the best players in the entire G League this season. 

The explosive point guard has utilized his burst and athleticism both getting to the rim and creating space for jumpers. Davison’s 60.2% mark on shots at the rim paired with a 34.5% clip on a heavy dose of off-the-dribble or above-the-break threes – 53 of his 55 total 3PA are from “above the break” – are notable improvements in efficiency and shot selection from his rookie year. With the sixth-highest percentage of unassisted made field goals, the Alabama product is creating most of his shots himself – and making them, too. 

On the back of Davison and Co., the Celtics are sitting just outside the cutoff for the Showcase Cup in Orlando next week – but they are in prime position to capitalize whenever teams ahead of them in the standings take losses. 

The criteria to qualify for the eight-team Showcase Cup is as follows; the top seed in each of the four regional pods get an automatic tournament bid, and the remaining four teams get in based on record with point differential as the tiebreaker. At time of publish, the top-four seeds are Westchester in the East, Indiana in the Central, Mexico City in the South and Santa Cruz in the West. Behind them is a hodgepodge of teams between four and six losses with neck-and-neck point differentials, and Maine is right in the thick of it. These upcoming games against College Park – another team squarely in the mix – will have a massive impact on the Celtics’ chance to make the Showcase Cup. 

A pair of wins over College Park would put Maine in the driver’s seat for a Showcase Cup bid, especially if those wins were of sizable margin.