Knicks Fall in Season Opener to Celtics
November 4, 2022 – NBA G League (G League) – Westchester Knicks News Release
PORTLAND, ME – The Westchester Knicks, the official NBA G League affiliate of the New York Knicks, were defeated by the Maine Celtics, 119-111 at the Portland Expo Building Friday evening to start the season.
Six players scored in double digits for the Knicks (1-0), with Trevor Keels (Two-Way Player) leading the game with 25 points, four rebounds and three assists. The duo Garrison Brooks (affiliate) and James Akinjo (affiliate) dominated with double-doubles in the contest. Brooks’ 22 points and a game-best 19 rebounds accompanied Akinjo’s 13 points and a game-high 10 assists. DaQuan Jefferies (returning rights) chipped in 18 points and raised for blocks while Nuni Omot (affiliate) contributed 16 points off the bench. Feron Hunt (Two-Way Player) gave a 10-point and two-block effort.
For the Celtics (1-0), Mfiondu Kabengele registered team-highs of 24 points on 91.7-percent shooting and 15 rebounds. Denzel Valentine (17 PTS), Marial Shayok (15 PTS) and JD Davison (13 PTS) also added for Maine.
Keels converted a Celtics’ miscue on a drive to the basket to score the first points of the game, 2-0, roughly 30 seconds into the contest. The Knicks’ largest lead of four points was matched three times in the period, lastly occurring at the 7:43 mark, 12-8. From there, the Celtics scored five unanswered points, 13-12, with five minutes to go in the window. The Celtics would go on to close out the quarter up eight, 30-22.
For the second and third quarters and the early goings of the fourth, the Knicks fell victim to 20-point deficits due to the Celtics rhythmic three-point shooting. For the game, Maine shot 42.6-percent from beyond the arc outshooting the Knicks 20-7 in triples. At the 5:32 mark of the final period, Westchester climbed back within nine, its first time trailing single digits since the second, but could not get over the hump resulting for the eight-point setback.
The Knicks get another chance to avenge tonight’s outcome against the Celtics, Sunday, November 6 at 1:00 PM ET.
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