Pre and Post-Game Review of the Maine Celtics vs. the Capital City Go-Go

Coming off a G-League finals appearance last season, the Maine Celtics have massive expectations heading into the 24-25 season. After winning Game 1 of the finals versus the Oklahoma City Blue, they would go on to lose the last two, ending an impressive season in heartbreak. With their previous coach leaving for Charlotte, Maine’s new head coach, Tyler Lashbrook, faces a lot of pressure if the team does not do well this season. So far, 4 games into the season, the Celtics are 2-2. The expectations are sky-high for the Celtics in the 24-25 season. 

Pregame

This past weekend, the Maine Celtcs had a Friday and Sunday slate against the Capital City Go-Go; Capital City has many former NBA players on their roster, such as former lottery-pick Kira Lewis Jr., Jared Butler, former two-way signees Leaky Black, Mo Gueye, Mike Foster, and even former Maine Celtic Taylor Funk. The Go-Go’s roster is loaded, and the Celtics certainly had their hands full.

JD Davison looks to continue his stellar start to the 24-25 campaign, as he averages 26 points, 5 rebounds, and 10.5 assists. Just two weeks ago, he became Maine’s all-time leading scorer in only his 3rd season at 22 years old. JD could, arguably, go down as the best player in Maine Celtics/Red Claws history. To add to the returning crew, you have second-year two-way Drew Peterson. The 6’9” forward from USC adds 14.5 points and 8 rebounds per game, and some newfound versatility on the defensive end of the court. This team, defensively, has a lot of potential, but their chemistry isn’t fully developed yet. However, they’ve only been playing together for a month and a half – still plenty of time to grow as a team.

Capital City came into these 2 games with a 4-2 record and a 3-game winning streak. With this team’s experience, they will come in as favorites for both games, which could change depending on how the Celtics play Friday night. If Maine does go on to lose both games, you could see some lineup changes by head coach Tyler Lashbrook or perhaps even a trade being made by General Manager Jarrell Christian. 

Postgame

The start of Game 1 against Capital City was a struggle for the Celtics. Maine looked gassed in the first quarter, trailing 32-15. In the second quarter, the Celtics came out with a massive 27-10 run, with the team’s backup players leading. It was only a 2-point game at the half, with Capital City leading 53-51. Coming out of the half, it was a Capital City run that boosted the lead up to 9, with the Go-Go two-way forward Justin Champagnie leading the charge. Once the fourth quarter started, however, it was all Maine’s game – more specifically, JD Davison’s game, who had come into the fourth quarter with 21 points. JD exploded for another 15 points in the fourth to help Maine win a tight game of 106-101. 

Game 2 was a hard-fought battle for both teams. This time, however, JD Davison had his worst game of this season – a stark contrast to his stellar performance Friday night. While JD left the game with a double-double, it took him 13 shots to get only 11 points, shooting 4-13 from the floor and 0-3 from three-point range. Most notably, the 3rd-year guard missed a crucial free-throw near the end of the game, silencing the Portland crowd. Maine also suffered a couple of ankle injuries in the second half: Ron Harper Jr. was helped off the court, while Jay Scrubb was able to walk off on his own, never re-entering the game. For Capital City, 6’1” guard Erik Stevenson commanded the court, dropping 36 points, putting the Go-Go’s up three points with four seconds on the clock. Maine’s Drew Peterson got a decent look to tie the game and send it to overtime, but the shot fell short, and Maine took a heartbreaking loss at 96-93. 

Last season, it took the Celtics a while to build their team’s chemistry and a respectable season record. The season is still young, and changes must be made to the roster if they hope for another shot at the championship.