RENO, Nev. – The Maine Red Claws let a seven-point lead slip away in the second half and lost to the Los Angeles Defenders 106-94 Wednesday afternoon in the NBA D-League Showcase at Reno Events Center.
Gerald Green scored 12 of his game-high 34 points in the third quarter to rally the Defenders (15-6) from a 54-47 halftime deficit.
Maine (6-13) lost the lead for good on the Defenders’ first possession of the fourth quarter as Brandon Costner made two free throws for a 77-76 lead.
Maine then missed its next five field-goal attempts, including three 3-pointers, and Los Angeles responded with three baskets for an 83-76 lead.
The Red Claws, who had their two-game winning streak snapped, were able to cut it to three, 88-85, on a 3-pointer by Lawrence Hill with 6:37 left. However, the Defenders reeled off nine straight points and coasted the rest of the way.
Hill started Maine in the right direction, scoring nine of his team’s 29 points in the first quarter.
Hill, who finished with 22 points and nine rebounds, made a 3-pointer and three field goals as Maine went ahead 29-26 after one quarter.
Hill added two more field goals in the second quarter for a total of 13 first-half points, and Jerome Randle chipped in seven for 11 points in the half.
Randle, who scored a team high 24 points, scored the last five points of the half on a converted technical foul shot, a jump shot and a layup.
Paul Harris had 11 points for the Red Claws.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
