AUSTIN, Texas — The Maine Red Claws snapped a four-game losing streak with an NBA D-League win over first-place Austin, 120-113 Friday night.
Maine (29-19) inched closer to a second consecutive Atlantic Division title.
The Red Claws were led by Levi Randolph with a career-high 29 points and 8 rebounds. Coty Clarke, on assignment from the Boston Celtics, added 21 points and 8 boards, while Omari Johnson scored 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.
Marcus Thornton added 16 points for Maine, while Corey Walden contributed 12 points and 8 assists. James Young, also on assignment from the Celtics, scored 9 points and added 8 rebounds.
The Red Claws started the game slowly. Austin jumped out to a quick 10-4 lead. Johnson’s three-pointers helped Maine chip away at that deficit. Still, Austin led 30-22 at the end of the first quarter. The second quarter was a much different story. The Claws started on a 10-0 run, with Clarke and Thornton leading the charge. Maine tied the game at 32, and after another 8-0 run, extended the lead to 10. Maine outscored Austin 40-21 in the second quarter, and took a 62-51 lead into halftime.
The third quarter was a much closer affair. The Red Claws maintained a double-digit lead throughout, with Andre Stringer and Clarke making back-to-back shots late in the period. The Claws took an 18-point lead at 80-62, but Austin closed on an 11-6 run and Maine led 86-73 after three.
In the fourth quarter, the Spurs made the game tight. Randolph would right the ship for the Claws, scoring eight straight points. Still, the Spurs were right in the game.
Deshaun Thomas put in a bucket to make it a five-point game at 105-100 with 2:33 to go. Walden hit a huge three-pointer with the shot clock expiring to give the Claws an eight-point advantage. Clarke hit crucial free throws down the stretch to put the game away.