Maine Celtics head coach Jarell Christian calls out instructions during a practice Wednesday at the Portland Expo. At 9-1, the team has the second-best record in the NBA G League. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Staff Photographer
It’s been nearly a month since the Maine Celtics played a game at the Portland Expo.
Nov. 19, to be exact, a 118-91 victory over Capitol City. And the Celtics haven’t lost since.
In fact, the Celtics have won seven consecutive games and at 9-1 have the second-best record in the NBA G League, just behind the 10-1 Delaware Blue Coats – the only team to beat Maine this season, back on Nov. 12. The Celtics responded by handing Delaware its only loss the next day.
“It’s crazy,” said guard/forward Theo Pinson. “I think it’s just, you never know with our team who’s going to have a good night. We’re going to have one or two guys, maybe the whole team, have a good night. We’re pretty balanced.”
The Celtics play the Long Island Nets in back-to-back games Thursday and Friday at the Expo, both games starting at 7 p.m. Entry into the Expo requires proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result. Masks must be worn inside the Expo.
“We love the fans, that’s what drives us,” said guard Brodric Thomas, who leads the Celtics with 18.3 points per game and 2.2 steals. “We’re looking forward to having the fans come out and be able to watch us continue this good run we’re on.”
What they’ll see is a team operating at high efficiency at both ends of the court. The Celtics are averaging 115.3 points per game (fourth in the G League), while leading the league in field goal percentage (50 percent), 3-pointers made (165), 3-point percentage (41.6 percent) and assists (28.3 per game). They are allowing just 100.8 points per game.
Beyond that, the Celtics have eight players averaging in double figures, led by Thomas and Pinson (17.3 points). Guard Sam Hauser, like Thomas a two-way contract player (he has been up with the Boston Celtics this week but is expected to be back for the game Thursday), averages 17.1 points, followed by Jaysean Paige (13.8), Chris Clemons (13.7) and Luke Kornet (13.0).
Brodric Thomas of the Maine Celtics looks for an open teammate during a practice Wednesday at the Portland Expo. Thomas leads the Celtics with 18.3 points per game and 2.2 steals. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Staff Photographer
“We have a lot of veteran guys,” said Thomas. “So it’s easy to play off each other because we understand the spots and spacing of this game at this level. When you have a bunch of guys willing to sacrifice for the greater of the team, it helps everybody’s game as a whole. You see the success of the team and the individuals when everyone is on the same page.”
“We’ve got a really good team, a lot of guys who make plays for each other,” said Pinson. “When you share the ball the way we do, it’s hard to guard.”
Head coach Jarell Christian said it all starts in practice, where the players push each other and hold each other accountable. “We’ve got a lot of guys who understand what the right way to play is,” he said.
In a league known for its offense, Maine’s defense has been most impressive. And that’s no accident.
“We know if we want to win, we’ve got to defend,” said Pinson. “We do a good job with our schemes. And we’ve got a lot of guys who know that if they want to get back in the (NBA) and have quality minutes, we’ve got to defend.”
Thomas added, “I think (defense) is the biggest separation when it comes to players. Can you defend? There’s a lot of guys at this level who can put the ball in the hoop.”
Swingman Theo Pinson is averaging 17.3 points per game for the Maine Celtics, but he says it’s the team’s defense that stands out. “We know if we want to win, we’ve got to defend.” Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Staff Photographer
Christian said Thomas has made a big impact at the defensive end since his return. He missed the first four games of the season because of an injury.
“He leads it on defense,” said Christian. “That just adds to the complexion of the team. You’ve got to understand if you want to play in the NBA, you’ve got to be able to guard your position. And that’s something our guys understand.”
They also understand that the team’s success will potentially lead to individual success, and possible NBA call-ups.
“I think we understand the more we win, the more everyone is going to get recognized,” said Pinson. “That’s what we’re doing, trying to win games, and play together at the same time.”
NOTES: Following the two games against Long Island, the Celtics will compete in the Winter Showcase in Las Vegas, starting Sunday and ending on Dec. 22. All NBA G League teams are guaranteed two games in the showcase, with the top eight teams playing in the Showcase Cup Tournament. The winning team not only gets a trophy, but a $100,000 prize to be split among its members. “We’ve got a lot of competitors on this team,” said Pinson. “We’re going to do everything we can to win it.” … Following the showcase, the NBA G League season will reset for a 36-game regular season that won’t include the records of games played before the showcase. Christian said the restart will give the team a chance to evaluate what it has done. “The things we’ve done well, we’ll continue to try to implement them,” he said. “The things we haven’t done well that teams haven’t taken advantage of yet, we’ll look to improve.”
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