LUCKY NETS OUTLAST CELTICS IN HOME OPENER

LONG ISLAND (Nov. 8, 2024) – The Long Island Nets (1-0), the NBA G League affiliate of the Brooklyn Nets, defeated the Maine Celtics (0-1), 129-123, during the team’s home opener at Nassau Coliseum.

Six Nets scored in double figures in the win over Maine, including Long Island guard Amari Bailey, who tallied 23 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals in 24 minutes. Nets forward AJ Lawson posted 21 points, five rebounds, two steals and one assist in 36 minutes. Long Island guard Killian Hayes recorded 19 points, five rebounds, eight assists and one steal in 30 minutes. Brooklyn assignee Dariq Whitehead notched 16 points, six rebounds, four assists and one steal in 29 minutes. Nets forward Kendall Brown posted 12 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two blocks in 31 minutes. Brooklyn two-way guard Jaylen Martin added 11 points, three rebounds, one assist and one block in 21 minutes. LongIsland center Patrick Gardner recorded a double-double with 10 points and 14 rebounds in addition to one assist and one block in 26 minutes. 

Long Island’s offense jumped out to an early lead, going on a 9-2 run in the opening two minutes of the first quarter. The Nets shot 60.0 percent from the field and 50.0 percent from deep to close the period ahead by 12, 39-27. Despite outscoring Long Island 29-28 in the second quarter, it was not enough for Maine to take the lead overall. Long Islandheld its lead and closed the first half ahead by 11, 67-56. 

The Nets continued to dominate in the third quarter, outscoring the Celtics 40-33 on 53.6 percent shooting from the field. Long Island went into the final quarter ahead by 17, 106-89. Maine outscored Long Island 34-22 in the fourth quarter, but Long Island kept its foot on the gas. The Nets went on to defeat the Celtics by six, 129-123.

Celtics two-way guard Baylor Scheierman tallied 31 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in 36 minutes. Maine guard JD Davison notched a double-double with 29 points and 12 assists in 38 minutes. 

Long Island will face Westchester at home on Sunday, Nov. 10, at 3 p.m., while Maine will travel to face Delaware on Monday, Nov. 11, at 7 p.m.

About the Long Island Nets

The Long Island Nets are the NBA G League affiliate of the Brooklyn Nets. The team started NBA G League play during the 2016-17 season and presently plays its home game at Nassau Coliseum on Long Island. The Nets have reached the postseason four times and won one Eastern Conference Championship, reaching the NBA G League Finals in 2019. For more information, please visit longislandnets.com and follow @longislandnets on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram.

-Long Island Nets-