Stars sink Celtics in Winter Showcase Tournament

ORLANDO, Fla. - Ron Harper Jr. and Jalen Bridges combined for 57 points, but it was enough as the Maine Celtics lost to the Salt Lake City Stars 123-107 in the NBA G League Winter Showcase Tournament quarterfinals on Friday.

Each team's record reset to 0-0 ahead of the Winter Showcase Tournament and Maine is now 0-1 after the loss to the Stars All games at NBA G League Winter Showcase Tournament will count towards each team's regular season record, with exception to the championship game.

Ron Harper Jr. led Maine with a team-high 29 points, three rebounds and five assists. Jalen Bridges knocked down eight three pointers to pour in 28 points for the Celtics. Both are new career-highs for Bridges. Kendall Brown added 17 points and six rebounds, and Hayden Gray provided 12 points and five assists off the bench. Maine shot just 39.8% (37-93) from the floor, including 34% (18-53) from three.

Elijah Harkless led the Stars with a game-high 32 points on 10-19 shooting. Sean East added 22 points and 7 assists while Cameron McGriff, John Tonje and Oscar Tshiebwe each scored 14 points for the Stars. Salt Lake City outrebounded the Celtics 58-36 and their bench outscored Maine's 51-18. Tschiebwe and Mo Bamba accounted for 31 of Salt Lake City's 58 rebounds. Salt Lake City shot 45.4% (44-97) from the floor and 27.5% (11-40) from beyond the arc.

Harper Jr. showed why he's one of the top players at the Winter Showcase from the opening tip. Harper scored 11 points in the first five minutes, including three shots from deep, to give Maine a 16-8 lead over the Stars. Salt Lake City answered with a 9-2 run to pull back within one with 5:18 to go in the first. With 2:25 left in the opening quarter, Cameron McGriff powered his way through the lane to give Salt Lake City a 24-22 lead. McGriff would score to beat the buzzer and the Stars would lead Maine 31-27 after the first quarter.

Justin Harmon connected on a three to extend the Stars' lead to five in the opening minute of the second quarter. With 7:55 to go in the first half, Sean East hit a a 17-foot jump shot to give Salt Lake City a 47-38 advantage over the Celtics. With 5:01 to go in the second, Max Abmas scored on a second chance opportunity to extend the Stars' lead to 11. Trailing by 15,Kendall Brown found Jalen Bridgesfor three to pull Maine within 12, 66-54 with less than two minutes to play in the first half. Elijah Harklessscored four of his team-high 16 points in the final minute to give Salt Lake City a 70-54 lead at halftime, their largest lead of the game to that point. East added 14 and John Tonje scored 12 as the Stars shot 46% (23-50) from the floor and 29.2% from three (7-24). Harper led all scorers at the break with 18 points and Bridges was the only other Celtic in double figure with 10 points as Maine shot just 37.5% (18-48) from the floor including 26.7% (8-30) from beyond the arc.

Both teams exchanged baskets before a made three by Abmas gave Salt Lake City a 80-60 lead with 8:42 left in the third. Just over a minute later, Harkless flashed through the lane for the slam to extend the Stars' lead to 22. Back-to-back threes by Harper and Bridges quickly cut the deficit down to 16 at the 6:18 mark of the quarter. Max Shulga dialed up a long three with 3:00 to go in the third as Maine continued to chisel at the Stars' lead, and make it 89-78. After cutting it down to 11, Salt Lake City responded with a 11-2 run and led 100-80 at the end of the third quarter.

With 9:18 remaining in the game, Bridges made his sixth triple of the game to again cut the lead down to 15. Every time Maine tried to make a run, Salt Lake City had the answer and Oscar Tshiebwe notched back-to-back dunks to put the Stars in front 113-91 with under six minutes to go. Bridges knocked down his career-high seventh three-pointer with 3:47 remaining, but the Celtics still trailed the Stars by 16. Bridges wasn't done yet. The sharpshoot dialed up another long ball with 2:37 to go for his eighth three of the game, but Maine couldn't overcome the Stars on Friday as Maine fell in the Winter Showcase Tournament quarterfinals 123-107.

Maine will face the third-seeded Austin Spurs on Sunday at 12:00 p.m. EST in a consolation matchup. The game will broadcast live on NBA TV.