Maine falls to Magic in Eastern Conference Finals

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - The Maine Celtics' season came to a close at the hands of the Osceola Magic 135-122 in the NBA G League Eastern Conference Finals on Sunday night.

34 points and 11 assists by JD Davison wasn't enough to overcome an onslaught of offense by the Osceola Magic. Osceola buried 18 three-pointers on 46.2% shooting (18-39). The Magic saw five players score 17 points or more and finished the game shooting 52.9% (46-87) from the floor. In a battle between the last two Kia NBA G League MVPS, Osceola's Mac McClung scored a new franchise playoff record 42 points on 16-26 shooting.

Maine comes up short in their quest to claim the franchise's first NBA G League championship. This was the third consecutive season Maine qualified for the postseason, and it marked the second straight season that the Celtics reached the Eastern Conference Finals. Osceola advances to face the winner between Stockton and Austin in the NBA G League Finals.

In addition to Davison's double-double, fellow Two-Way player Drew Peterson recorded 25 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists on 9-15 shooting, including 5-9 from three. Tristan Enaruna scored 20 points to go with 5 boards and Miles Norris added 19 points and 8 rebounds on 7-11 shooting from the floor. Maine shot 47.8% (43-90) from the floor and 36.1% (13-36) from distance.

McClung led Osceola with 42 points, 3 rebounds, and 6 assists. Ethan Thompson and Jalen Slawson each scored 20 points for the Magic and Javonte Smart and Myron Gardner added 17 points apiece.

In the first quarter, Osceola connected on their first three shots from deep to claim an early 11-5 lead over the Celtics. With 6:19 to play, Drew Peterson knocked down a three to pull Maine back within one, 16-15. A three by Miles Norris with 4:54 on the clock tied the game at 21. With 3:30 to go, Davison patiently drove through the lane and scored with a floater plus the foul to keep the game tied. Phillip Wheeler, back with Maine after his 10-day contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, stepped into a triple to give Maine their first lead of the game, 29-28 with 2:29 left in the quarter. Peterson made three shots from beyond the arc and both teams made six total three-pointers as Osceola led Maine 35-33 through one.

DJ Rodman came off the bench and kept the hot shooting from three alive as another made triple gave Maine a 1-point lead. Osceola's Jalen Slawson quickly answered from deep to take the lead back. McClung scored on the next three offensive possessions to lead a 12-0 Magic run, giving Osceola their largest lead of the first half, 47-36 with eight minutes to go in the first half. McClung scored 20 of his 24 first half points in the second quarter. Tristan Enaruna helped Maine weather the storm in the second quarter with 14 points on a perfect 5-5 shooting from the floor. After Maine pulled within five, Myron Gardner powered to the basket and scored to extend Osceola's lead back to 11 with 2:34 to go in the first half. Wheeler knocked down another three to again pull Maine within five with under two minutes remaining. A Davison free throw pulled the Celtics within three, 68-65 entering halftime. The Magic shot 52.3% from the floor, including 50% (10-20) shots from three. Maine was 45.7% from the floor and 47.6% (10-21) from deep.

Peterson scored on back-to-back possessions to put the Celtics back in front by one early in the second half. Both teams traded blows, and a Gardner three gave Osceola a 78-76 lead at the 8:00 mark of the third. Slawson made his third and fourth triples of the night to put the Magic in front by seven with under five minutes left in the quarter. A 14-4 Magic run brought Osceola's lead back up to 11 with 2:31 remaining. A step back three by Javonte Smart with 8.2 seconds on the clock gave Osceola a 100-89 lead at the end of the third quarter.

Osceola's Smart scored on a transition layup to put the Magic in front, 104-91 in the early minutes of the fourth quarter. An 11-4 Magic run to start the fourth quarter put Osceola up by as many as 18, their largest lead of the evening with 8:21 to play. Myron Gardner knocked down another triple to make it 116-97 with 7:13 to go in the final quarter. Davison responded with a personal 6-0 run to pull Maine within 13 with 6:20 to go. A tough fadeaway jumper by Davison over McClung pulled Maine within single digits, 118-109 with under four minutes to go in the game. Smart quickly put the Magic back up by 12 with a three on the next possession. Osceola went on an 8-0 run to quickly balloon their lead back to 17 with under three minutes to go. Davison scored 14 points in the final quarter, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Magic as Maine's season comes to a close in the Eastern Conference Finals at the hands of the top-seeded Magic, 135-122.