CANTON, Ohio — The Maine Red Claws lost a 15-point second-half lead, falling to the Canton Charge 115-114 in an NBA D-League playoff opener Tuesday night.
Quinn Cook (26 points) hit the game-winner for Canton with six seconds to go in the game, and Corey Walden’s game-winner bounced out at the buzzer in the opener of a three-game series.
The Red Claws were led by Coty Clarke with 25 points and 16 rebounds. Marcus Thornton added 22 points, while Corey Walden and Jordan Mickey (on assignment from the Boston Celtics) scored 16 points. James Young (also on assignment from the Celtics) and Levi Randolph each added 11 and Omari Johnson had 10.
The Red Claws started hot in the first quarter, with Thornton scoring 11 points. Young fed Mickey for the two-handed slam, and Coron Williams’ three-pointer would open a 30-20 lead. Canton would close that deficit late in the period and Maine took a 32-25 lead into the second quarter.
In the second, Johnson threw down a slam on a three-point play, and Clarke reached a double-double in the first half with a three-point play of his own and the Red Claws extended to a 12-point lead. Again, Canton closed the deficit late in the quarter. John Holland and Michael Stockton combined for eight points in the closing minutes, and at the break, the Claws’ advantage was 62-54.
Maine once again started hot in the third quarter. Levi Randolph buried a wide open triple, and Johnson reached double-digits with a hook shot, and the Red Claws had a 15-point lead at 69-54.
But the Charge rallied. Michael Stockton’s bucket off of the Red Claws’ 15th turnover of the game would cut it to 73-66. The Charge would cut it to five, but Mickey scored five straight points, and the Red Claws ended the third the same way they ended the second – with an eight- point lead – at 84-76.
In the fourth quarter, Canton hit back-to-back three’s to cut it to 86-82. Stockton tapped one in to cut it to two.
Clarke ended the 8-0 run with a strong drive and score. Clarke and Mickey continued to lead Maine, but Canton went on a 6-0 run to again cut it to two at 101-99.
Nick Minnerath buried a three to give Canton its first lead of the game at 102-101. Thornton buried a triple to put Maine back up two. Coty Clarke and Quinn Cook traded three-pointers on three successive trips down the floor.
The minute was a whirlwind of baskets. Walden hit a floater to put Maine up 112-111 with 36 seconds to go. Holland banked one in to put Canton up 113-112, then Clarke hit a fadeaway to put Maine back up 114-113 with 10 seconds left.
Out of the timeout, Cook drove to the basket and hit an easy lay-in to put Canton up 115-114. Maine had one last chance to win the game, but Walden’s floater bounced in and out at the buzzer, and Canton came away with the one-point victory.
The series now shifts to Maine for a do-or-die game two for the Red Claws Thursday night. The game will be played at Cross Insurance Arena in Portland. If Maine wins, game three will be Friday night, also at CIA. Both games are at 7 p.m.