Game Preview - Maine vs. Grand Rapids - Feb. 2, 2024
By Maine Celtics Staff /February 2, 2024
)
Game details:
Matchup: Maine Celtics (8-7) vs. Grand Rapids Gold (7-6)
Location: Portland Expo; Portland, Maine
Tipoff: 7:00 PM EST
Streaming: NBC Sports Boston, NBAGLeague.com
On the heels of two much-needed wins over Raptors 905 in Ontario, the Maine Celtics are back within the friendly confines of the Portland Expo to host the Grand Rapids Gold.
Tonight marks the second and final matchup of the season between the Celtics and the Gold. Grand Rapids claimed a 112-108 victory back on New Year’s Eve at the Expo, powered by Two-Way center Jay Huff’s 28 points and eight rebounds. Jordan Walsh led six Celtics in double figures with 20 points as Maine ripped off a 19-7 run to claw within two in the final seconds, but the Gold did just enough to hang on in the end.
Breaking down the Gold:
Grand Rapids comes into this one having lost back-to-back games, the most recent being a 119-98 defeat at the hands of the Indiana Mad Ants. On the season, the Gold boast the #18 offense and #28 defense, taking a slide down the rankings after going 2-5 in their last seven games since starting the season 5-1.
With none of its Two-Way players available this evening, the fifth-place Gold are led by Denver Nuggets assignment player Hunter Tyson. Playing in 11 of 12 games, the 37th pick in the 2023 NBA Draft (one selection before Jordan Walsh) averages a team-leading 23 points and shoots 37% from 3-point range on high volume while grabbing 8.3 boards. The rookie forward is the 12th-leading scorer in the G League to this point while offering length, off-ball instincts, and physicality as a perimeter defender.
Fellow Nuggets assignee Jalen Pickett is Grand Rapids’ second-leading scorer at 20.3 points per game and leads the Gold in assists per game at 9.3, second-most in the league. Pickett, the 32nd pick in the 2023 draft, also hauls in 5.7 rebounds and nabs 1.8 steals in 34.8 minutes per contest. Those that fill in the gaps around the Gold’s lead ball-handlers are Andrew Funk, a high-volume floor-spacer and teammate of Pickett’s at Penn State, along with Au’Diese Toney, Zak Irvin and Jamorko Pickett.
Former Maine Celtic Reggie Kissoonlal is back in the building tonight. Kissoonlal started the season with the College Park Skyhawks but was acquired by the Grand Rapids Gold about a month ago. Since then, the second-year center has competed in five games and averaged 4.4 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 11.7 minutes.
Keys to the game:
Reinforcement is here: Dalano Banton has been assigned to Maine and will join the Celtics for his second G League game of the season. The third-year guard stuffed the stat sheet with 28 points, five rebounds, six assists, three steals and three blocks in his first-ever appearance at the Expo. Banton will be in the starting lineup tonight, looking to build off his previous performance.
Bombs away: As we mentioned already, the Gold are less than stellar on the defensive end. A particular cause to that effect is that the Grand Rapids defense allows opponents to shoot 38% from deep, the fourth-highest mark in the league. They tend to keep opponents’ attempt volume down, but Maine gets ‘em up from three with the best of them. Plus, the Celtics shot a blistering 43.6% from deep on 39 attempts per game in the two-game sweep of the 905. Keep riding the hot hand, which seems to be anybody wearing green.
Smash the pick-and-roll: Per Synergy Sports, the Gold allow 0.812 points per possession in the pick-and-roll, placing them in the 19th percentile among G League P&R defenses. Without any of its Two-Way players, Grand Rapids’ defensive versatility and size on the interior are drastically reduced. Kylor Kelley – now the league’s leading shot-blocker – could be in for a feast inside tonight.