Hot-Shooting Celtics Take Down Knicks In Opener

Celtics use scorching-hot shooting performance to outlast Knicks in season-opener 

Kabengele logs 24 points, 15 boards in Maine debut 

PORTLAND, ME – The Maine Celtics, presented by Unum, collected a season-opening victory against the Westchester Knicks in Alex Barlow’s debut as head coach, 119-111. 

Two-Way player Mfiondu Kabengele led the Celtics with 24 points, 15 rebounds, two assists and two blocks for the double-double in his Maine debut. Denzel Valentine flirted with a triple-double, totaling 17 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Marial Shayok finished with 15 points, seven rebounds and nine assists while JD Davison tallied 13 points, nine rebounds and three assists in his professional debut. Kamar Baldwin put up 12 points, three rebounds and five assists off the bench with Scottie Lindsey adding 11 points, four boards and three assists. Kendall Smith logged 10 points. 

The Knicks were led by Trevor Keels with 25 points, four rebounds and three assists. Garrison Brooks had 22 points, 19 rebounds and three assists. DaQuan Jefferies posted 18 points and six rebounds with Nuni Omot adding 16 points, eight rebounds and three assists. James Akinjo registered a double-double with 13 points and 10 assists. 

The first Maine possession of the 2022-23 season resulted in a turnover that Keels took the other way for a layup, and Brooks’ low-post bucket gave the Knicks a 4-0 lead before Kabengele put the Celtics on the board. Šamanić tallied an early block, a slick over-the-head dime to Kabengele and a 1-for-2 free-throw in the early minutes as the Knicks got out to a 12-10 lead by the halfway point. Kamar Baldwin and Šamanić each canned a three before Davison recorded his first points as a pro on an and-one to give Maine the lead. Nuni Omot’s four-point play brought Westchester within one, but Lindsey responded with a finish in traffic and help the Celtics take a 30-22 lead into the second quarter. 

Valentine connected with Baldwin for a long two and then Smith for a corner three to stretch Maine’s lead to double-digits, 38-24 early in the second. Šamanić was drawing plenty of attention inside and causing the Knicks to miss some easy looks at the rim as the interior defender during his second-quarter minutes. Westchester was generating plenty of shot attempts but couldn’t convert at a high clip, briefly bringing it back within single-digits before a 19-9 run gave the Celtics a 20-point lead, 64-44, with 2:23 left in the half. Two-Way players Davison and Kabengele each hit a three, with Valentine capping off the run and forcing a timeout. Maine would hold serve for the rest of the half and take a 69-51 lead into the locker room. The Celtics shot 57.8 percent (26-45) from the floor, 52.2 percent (12-23) from deep and 100 percent (3-3) from the line in the first half. Westchester hit 40.4 percent (21-52) from the floor, 3-16 (18.8 percent) from distance and 4-5 (80 percent) from the line across the first two quarters. 

A quick six points for the Celtics put the lead back over 20, but Akinjo responded with a deep three at the start of the half for the Knicks. It was all Celtics from that point onward, with Shayok starting off a scorching third quarter with a smooth dish to Šamanić; Maine’s crisp ball movement created tons of clean shot opportunities and the playmakers showed strong chemistry with the bigs and corner shooters. Westchester broke out a zone defense to take space away from Maine’s passers, but the Celtics would pick up the pace to avoid letting the Knicks defense get set. The Knicks picked it up offensively as the quarter went on, but the Celtics still held a commanding 99-74 lead heading into the final frame. 

A quick timeout stopped play just 40 seconds into the fourth with the Celtics ahead, 102-76. Maine’s offense wasn’t as potent as it was through the first three quarters, but timely threes and quick, extra passes buoyed them as they maintained a sizable lead. Kabengele was everywhere in the second half, and Shayok found him lurking underneath the rim repeatedly. The Knicks cut into the deficit late, making it as close as 11 in the final three minutes, but the Celtics burned the clock, Shayok nailed his third triple of the night and Maine held on for the win, 119-111. Maine finished 44-94 (46.8 percent) from the floor, 20-47 (42.6 percent) from long-range and 7-10 (70 percent) from the stripe. The Knicks shot 48-107 (44.9 percent) from the floor, 7-35 (20 percent) from deep and 6-9 (66.7 percent) from the line. 

The Celtics will face the Knicks again at the Expo on Sunday, Nov. 6 before hitting the road to Uniondale, N.Y. the following weekend to play the Long Island Nets.