Game Preview - Maine vs. Capital City - Jan. 5, 2024
By Maine Celtics Staff /January 4, 2024
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Game details:
Matchup: Maine Celtics (2-1) vs. Capital City Go-Go (2-1)
Location: Portland Expo; Portland, Maine
Tip-off: 7:00 PM EST
Streaming: Tubi, NBC Sports Boston (tape delay)
With eight games over the course of the next 26 days, the Maine Celtics are gearing up for a packed month of basketball. It all begins tonight with a matchup against the Capital City Go-Go.
The Celtics went 1-1 against the Go-Go during the Showcase, dropping the season-opener in Washington D.C. on Nov. 10, 137-127 before taking a 103-99 victory at the Expo on Dec. 3. Tonight’s winner will claim victory in the three-game season series.
Breaking down the Go-Go:
In three regular season games, the Go-Go rank third in offense, fourth in rebounding percentage and sixth in true shooting percentage, also ranking in the top-10 in turnover percentage and pace. Offensively, Capital City is very well-rounded – they limit extra possessions for opponents with quality defensive rebounding, get the ball up the court quickly without turning it over, and shoot with efficiency from multiple levels of the floor. For Maine to limit the Go-Go to 99 points last time out shows just how strong the Celtics can be when at their best defensively.
Patrick Baldwin Jr. and Ryan Rollins join the Go-Go on assignment from the Washington Wizards. Both players came over from the Golden State Warriors in the Chris Paul-Jordan Poole trade that followed the Bradley Beal-to-Phoenix deal and have frequently been assigned to the Go-Go since joining the organization. In 16.4 minutes per game, respectively, Rollins averages 12 points and 3 rebounds and shoots 42.9% from deep, while Baldwin, the 28th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, averages 10.5 points and 4.5 rebounds, also shooting 42.9% from deep.
Capital City’s got some helpful assignments for this one, but luckily, only one Two-Way player will be with the Go-Go tonight. Jared Butler and Eugene Omoruyi are both with Washington currently, leaving Jules Bernard as the lone Two-Way available. Bernard, who earned a Call-Up earlier in the season, has averaged 20 points and 6 rebounds, shooting 50% from the field in two games.
Five-year NBA veteran Hamidou Diallo has led the charge for Capital City all year long, but especially as of late. In the regular season, Diallo is averaging 21.3 points, 10 rebounds and 1.6 stocks (steals+blocks) on 55% shooting – the 2019 NBA Dunk Contest champion is one of the best and most explosive rim finishers in the G League. It’s tough for defenders to stay in front of Diallo with his combination of first-step quickness, strength, and physicality, making for a tough cover at this level.
Former Maine Celtic Taylor Funk makes his return to Portland following a trade that sent Funk to Capital City and netted Rob Edwards for the Celtics late last month. Since joining the Go-Go, Funk has started all three games played, averaging 8 points, 2.7 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 steal in 28.3 minutes per game.
Keys to the game:
Bombs away: Capital City has one of the lowest team 3-point percentages in the league, perhaps the only flaw in its offensive profile. The Go-Go are also 29th in 3-pointers made – the Celtics can easily win the numbers game tonight with how well, and the volume at which they tend to shoot from distance.
Physical without fouling: The Go-Go are second in league in free throw attempts per game, but outside top-10 in free throw percentage. Keeping them off the line, compounded with winning the 3-point battle, should hand the Celtics a massive advantage in shot distribution.