Maine Celtics’ playoff elimination poses questions about JD Davison, Drew Peterson’s futures

A particular Maine Celtics season ended on Sunday night time with a 135-119 loss to the Osceola Magic within the Japanese Convention Finals, regardless of continued robust play from G League MVP JD Davison.

Davison dropped 34 factors and 11 assists, 14 of which got here within the fourth quarter, but it surely wasn’t sufficient to beat a 42-point efficiency by Mac McClung. A Davison jumper introduced the Celtics to inside single digits with 4 minutes to play, however the Magic pulled away behind sizzling taking pictures and very good offensive execution.

Celtics two-way ahead Drew Peterson recorded 25 factors, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 5 turnovers. Fellow two-way signee Miles Norris added 19 factors and eight rebounds on 7-11 taking pictures from the ground. Beginning heart James Banks III, a second-year participant on the Maine Celtics, as soon as once more confronted foul hassle, and was restricted to 4 factors and 5 rebounds in simply 11 minutes.

Tristan Enaruna, who completed with 20 factors on 7 of 17 taking pictures, began rather than Jordan Walsh. Walsh was in Boston for the Celtics’ 124-90 win over the Wizards, and performed 7 fourth-quarter minutes within the victory, grabbing two rebounds.

Mac McClung leads a dominant effort for the Magic

On the opposite facet, Mac McClung led the best way with 42 factors and 6 assists. McClung, the 2024 G League MVP, shot 16 of 26 from the sector and three of seven from threes.

Ethan Sampson, one other Magic two-way participant, and Jalen Slawsoh every added 20 factors. Osceola shot 18-39 (46.2%) from three, with 5 gamers hitting no less than three three-pointers.

Maine knew beating the Magic wasn’t going to be straightforward.

“It’s gonna be a problem,” Lashbrook stated after the Celtics’ win over the Westchester Knicks on Thursday. “It’s gonna be a battle. That workforce has been on a roll — about the identical time that we began getting on our run, they went on their very own run. To me, it’s been the 2 greatest groups over this final again half of the stretch, and so it’ll be enjoyable sport for us to match up.”

On account of the victory, the Magic (22-12) will advance to face the Stockton Kings (22-12) in a three-game G League Finals, whereas the Maine Celtics season involves an finish.

What’s subsequent for JD Davison and the Maine Celtics?

The Celtics’ three two-ways — Davison, Norris, and Peterson — will rejoin the Boston Celtics for the postseason run, as will Maine Celtics assistant coach Tyler Lashbrook, who was an assistant coach on the Celtics’ championship workforce final yr. The 2-ways might be eligible to play within the Celtics’ remaining 4 common season video games — in opposition to the Knicks, Magic, and Hornets (twice), however given their two-way standing, they gained’t be eligible to go well with up within the playoffs.

The Celtics nonetheless have a fifteenth roster spot obtainable on their predominant roster and will signal considered one of their two-way gamers to the ultimate sport, as they did with Neemias Queta towards the tip of final season. Queta spent much more time (13.7 minutes per sport throughout 28 video games) with Boston final yr than any two-way participant has this yr, but it surely’s nonetheless fairly doable that Boston would convert one of many two-way contracts to a assured deal.

Davison has been by far Maine’s greatest participant this season, averaging 25.1 factors and seven.5 assists this season — and 35 factors and 13.3 assists within the postseason. In his third season with the Celtics, Davison dominated the G League from begin to end and was named MVP of the league final week.

However, Peterson has spent extra time round Boston than Davison, and may be up for consideration for the ultimate roster spot. Peterson has appeared in 22 regular-season video games for the Celtics this season, averaging 7.2 minutes per sport on 40% taking pictures.

Davison, in the meantime, has solely appeared in 13 video games, averaging 4.3 minutes. However his dominance within the G League has been unequalled and has been the coaches in seen by the coach in Boston, too.

“His management has actually grown — simply his potential to impression successful in several methods,” Joe Mazzulla stated final week.

It appears very unlikely that Norris, who has spent only a few weeks with the Celtics group, can be transformed from a two-way to a assured contract so fast.

A call concerning the fifteenth roster spot might be made within the coming weeks, with the Celtics’ common season coming to an in depth on April thirteenth at residence in opposition to the Hornets.