Maine Celtics conquer Charge 114-110

CLEVELAND, Ohio. - JD Davison recorded his second triple-double of the season as the Maine Celtics conquered the Cleveland Charge 114-110 on Friday night.

Davison led Maine with 30 points, 11 rebounds, and 13 assists. This is the second triple-double of the season for the Two-Way player and the fourth of his G League career. The Maine Celtics (17-10) have now won three games in a row and 11 of its last 12 overall. Maine is 4-1 on their current, nine-game road trip. The Celtics are currently second in the Eastern Conference standings.

Maine led Cleveland by as many as 32 points in the game as seven Celtics scored in double figures. Tristan Enaruna and Jay Scrubb scored 18 points apiece and DJ Rodman finished with 12 points, five rebounds, and five assists. James Banks III, Kameron Warrens, and Miles Norris each finished with 10 points. The Celtics finished the game shooting 48% (44-91) from the floor and 34% (15-44) from beyond the arc.

Cleveland was led by 17 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists from Luke Travers. Jules Bernard scored 17 points and Emoni Bates added 16 for the Charge. Cleveland shot 40% (42-105) from the floor and 25% (13-52) from three.

Maine got off to a blistering start in the first quarter, shooting 55% from the floor as a team. The Celtics scored easy baskets in transition to start the game and a layup by Kameron Warrens gave Maine an 18-9 lead at the first media timeout. JD Davison scored on a tough jump shot to put Maine in front 26-11 with 4:10 to go in the first quarter. Davison scored nine first quarter points as Maine led the Charge 38-28.

It took the Celtics three minutes to score in the second quarter, but it didn't take long after for Maine to extend their lead. James Banks III scored eight of his 10 first half points in the second quarter, and a short hook shot by Banks at the 6:08 mark of the second quarter put the Celtics up 18. Soon after, newly signed Two-Way player Miles Norris buried a triple to put Maine in front 57-38. A floater by Davison gave Maine their largest lead of the half, but Cleveland responded with an 11-2 run to cut the Celtics lead back down to 10 at the end of the first half, 65-55. Davison had 15 points and seven assists at the half, and Jay Scrubb tallied 13 points points off the bench for Maine. Maine shot 53.2% from the floor in the first half compared to just 42% for the Charge.

The Maine Celtics opened up the third quarter on a 11-0 run, quickly extending their lead back up to 21. Banks found Davison for a triple with 8:48 to play to extend that run to 14, giving the Celtics their largest lead of the game to that point, 79-55. Rodman followed that up with a triple of his own as Maine scored 17 straight points and extended their lead up to 29 before the Charge scored their first points of the second half at the 8:00 mark of the third quarter. Tristan Enaruna buried a triple with 3:55 to go in the third quarter to open up a 30-point lead, 96-66. Maine outscored Cleveland 33-18 in the quarter and assisted on 11 of 14 field goals as the Celtics carried a commanding 98-73 lead through three quarters.

Cleveland showed signs of life to start the fourth quarter with a 10-0 run. Nae'Qwan Tomlin's transition dunk pulled the Charge within 15 and forced a timeout by Maine Head Coach Tyler Lashbrook with 10:23 to go in the fourth quarter. Norris connected on another triple with 9:13 on the clock to stop a Celtics scoring drought spanning over six minutes of game time. A three-pointer by Cleveland's Darius Brown cut the Maine lead down to 12 with 4:55 remaining. Davison snagged a rebound with 3:22 remaining off a Jules Bernard miss to secure his second triple-double of the season and fourth of his career. Cleveland never quit and cut the Celtics lead down to just three after Bernard knocked down a triple with 17.6 seconds remaining to make it 113-110. DJ Rodman put the game on ice by splitting a pair of free throws with 6.6 seconds left to help Maine hold off the Charge, 114-110.

PLAYER OF THE GAME: JD Davison was the Player of the Game after recording his second triple-double of the season. Davison led the Celtics with 30 points, 11 rebounds, 13 assists, and three steals. The third-year guard shot 12-22 (55%) from the floor.

THE ROAD AHEAD: The Maine Celtics will face the Cleveland Charge again on Saturday night at 7:00 p.m. The game will broadcast live here.