COLLEGE PARK, GEORGIA — Brad Stevens was locked in. Seated in the bleachers of Gateway Center Arena in College Park, Georgia, he watched Celtics players Jaden Springer, Jordan Walsh, and others take on Atlanta’s G-League affiliate.
Sitting with Stevens was a large contingency of the Celtics organization – including Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, Sam Hauser, Xavier Tillman, Oshae Brissett, and Svi Mykhailiuk.
It was less than 24 hours after a letdown Celtics loss that took place 30 minutes north of College Park, and a large group of Celtics players and coaches spent their night off supporting their Maine brethren in a G-League showdown with the College Park Skyhawks. After all, the team is in Atlanta all week, set to face the Hawks again on Thursday in a rematch after Monday night’s 120-118 loss.
There was a lot to tune in for at Gateway Center Arena, starting with Jaden Springer, who played 8 fourth-quarter minutes the night before and was now making his Maine Celtics debut.
Walsh, the beloved rookie who has been on assignment with Maine most of the year, was also in the line-up, as were two-way players JD Davison, Neemias Queta, and Drew Peterson, each of whom have spent stints of their season with the parent club.
Jordan Walsh, who finished the night with 19 points and 9 rebounds. told CelticsBlog postgame that seeing his Celtics teammates and coaches on the sidelines added some extra motivation.
“I wanted to show them that I can hoop. I’m a legitimate hooper, you know what I mean?” Walsh said, laughing. “When I’m in Boston, I don’t play, so when they come down here and see me play it’s like ‘oh okay, this guy can actually hoop.’ It’s not like I’m a bum or nothing.”
Jordan Walsh on playing in front of the Celtics organization:
“I wanted to show them I can hoop, I’m a legitimate hooper, ya know what I mean?”
“When they come down here & see me play it’s like ‘oh okay, this guy can actually hoop.’ It’s not like I’m a bum or nothing.” https://t.co/OVGuBU1DWd pic.twitter.com/Y4JNXX0xkN
— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzellNBA) March 27, 2024
Assistant coaches Charles Lee, Amile Jefferson, Phil Pressey, Tyler Lashbrook, Ross McMains, Matt Reynolds and others were also in attendance, as was senior consultant Jeff Van Gundy, who could hardly look away from the action.
The Maine Celtics ended up coming out with a 127-112 win over the Skyhawks – their 9th victory in their last 10 games as they gear up for a playoff run.
Neemias Queta, who’s spent much of the year with Boston, was dominant on both ends and finished with 18 points (9-11 FG), 9 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Queta said that he’s always excited by the opportunity to play with Maine, and that he’s grateful for the year he’s had with the Celtics.
“It’s definitely been a great year for me, being able to learn with some of the best players in the league and the best team in the league right now.” Queta said. “It’s definitely helping me be a more consistent player, getting to develop every day, so I’ve just been grateful for that.”
JD Davison, the second-year player who’s spent the majority of the past two seasons with Maine, went down in the second half with an ankle injury and was in boot after the game — but put up 13 points and 8 assists before exiting.
Photo by Mercedes Oliver/NBAE via Getty Images
At halftime, the Celtics players in attendance upgraded their seats from the bleachers to courtside, and after the final buzzer sounded, the Maine and Boston players mingled by the court.
Walsh, who said he’s spent the year improving his shooting and screening, views the Celtics players who came out to support as inspiration.
“With every game, I get more comfortable, and hopefully I get a little bit better,” Walsh said. “I want to be like the older guys, like Jrue [Holiday], the guys sitting on the sideline. The game is so slow for them, they play at their own pace. If I want to get to that level, that’s one of the things I have to take away from them.”
Before the game, Springer said he was excited to get some run. “I’m looking forward to getting out here and competing, being able to play some good minutes, and just having fun.” Last year’s G-League Finals MVP certainly looked like he had a blast as he terrorized the Skyhawks defense for a game-high 26 points on 11-18 shooting.
There’s long been a connection between the two franchises — Sam Hauser and Luke Kornet both have roots as teammates in Maine, and both are now pivotal rotation players for the Celtics. Drew Peterson, who had 9 points, 8 assists, and 6 rebounds in the win, previously told CelticsBlog he’s watched a lot of Hauser film from his time in Maine as he works to improve his defense and overall game.
“I watched some clips of his defense when he was here, how you can make an impact in many different ways, even without the ball,” Peterson said last month. “It’s something where there’s a clear framework, and an understanding of what you can do to get to that level, and get to be making a role and an impact. It’s definitely something I’m looking at every day, and am trying to be able to maximize.”
On Tuesday night, the players on the sideline served as a reminder for the G-league guys of where they want to get to as basketball players.
But for the Celtics players themselves, it was a night off from the grind of the regular season, and a rare opportunity to just enjoy themselves, grab some popcorn, and be spectators for the night.
