Harper's first NBA start headlines big night for Maine's Two-Way Players

HOUSTON, Texas. - Celtics Two-Way player Ron Harper Jr. stepped up when his number was called on Wednesday.

In his first career NBA start, Harper finished with a career-high 11 points and nine rebounds in Boston's 114-93 win over the Houston Rockets. In total, Harper finished with 11 points on 4-8 shooting (3-7 from three), nine rebounds, and three assists in a career-high 33 minutes. It's the 19th career NBA game for the Two-Way player and his eighth appearance for Boston this season.

The Two-Way player said to media afterwards, "It was definitely a great feeling to hear your name, your college, come out here, shake the guys’ hands,” he said. “All these guys embrace you. They were really excited for me.”

Harper Jr. dazzled on his lone, two-point field goal attempt of the game. With under four minutes to play in the third quarter, Harper Jr. flew in from the three-point line for a big putback dunk.

“I had a whole runway,” Harper Jr. said, setting the scene. “My eyes lit up when I saw it come off the rim like that, so I was like, ‘I gotta go get this.’ My dad told me I was looking like him out there.”

Harper is ninth in the G League and first on the Maine Celtics in scoring at 24.3 PPG. This won't be the last time this month Celtics fans see Harper compete on a big stage. Harper was selected the Castrol Rising Stars event coming up on February 13 in Los Angelas during NBA All-Star Weekend.

Max Shulga plays in first NBA game

Two-Way player and second round draft pick Max Shulga played in his first NBA game on Wednesday against the Rockets. Shulga played the final 1:41 of the game, and missed his lone shot attempt of the day. Shulga, who became the eighth Ukrainian to be drafted to the NBA is now the third Boston Celtic to represent his home country, joining Svi Mykhailiuk and Vitaly Potapenko.

Shulga is averaging 14.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 6.4 assists, and 1.3 steals per game for the Maine Celtics this season. Shulga and Harper Jr. played against former Maine Celtic JD Davison on Wednesday. Davison, the 2024-25 NBA G League MVP and all-time leading scorer in Maine franchise history, is on a Two-Way contract with the Houston Rockets. Davison had two points and two assists in seven minutes in the Rockets' loss to Boston.

Amari Williams wins it in overtime for Maine Celtics

Fellow Two-Way player and 2025 second round draft pick Amari Williams led the Maine Celtics to an overtime victory over the Sioux Falls Skyforce on Wednesday. With both teams playing in a 'next basket wins' scenario during the target score overtime, Williams drove through the lane, spun off his defender and scored at the rim to beat the Skyforce 117-116.

Williams scored 20 of his game-high 26 points in the second half on 10-16 shooting. The rookie center posted his tenth double-double of the season, adding 12 rebounds and eight assists to his total in Wednesday's win. Williams is averaging 14.8 points, 11.4 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 1.8 blocks in 20 games with Maine this season.