A year ago, as the Maine Red Claws compiled the best record in the D-League, Coach Scott Morrison urged his team to break down the season into more manageable chunks of 10 games rather than the full 50.
This season, he cut that in half.
“I’ve been going five games,” he said. “Attention spans are getting smaller.”
Thursday night marked the start of the ninth five-game stretch of the season for the Red Claws, who pulled away in the second half for a comfortable 111-95 victory over the reeling Erie BayHawks before a crowd of 1,712 at the Portland Expo.
Erie (11-29) has lost 12 straight. The Red Claws (26-15) have won five straight and 12 of 14.
Point guard Tim Frazier led the way with a game-high 10 rebounds and 16 points, including a 4-of-6 shooting performance on 3-pointers.
“If he’s hitting his 3s like (Thursday night), he’s going to be pretty tough to guard because teams can’t sag off him and try to clog the paint up,” Morrison said. “He hit a couple early. That makes his driving lanes a little wider and he’s as good as anybody at seeing the floor.”
Frazier dished out four assists in the first quarter but collected only one the rest of the way, mainly because James Young, Omari Johnson and Malcolm Miller were a combined 0 of 13 on 3-point shots through three quarters.
“I just go out there and play,” Frazier said. “It’s all good to me when you get a win and everybody walks out of here healthy.”
Center Coty Clarke, signed earlier this week to a 10-day NBA contract by the Celtics, scored 16 of his team-high 18 points in the second half after picking up three quick fouls in the first. He practiced twice with the Celtics this week and sat on the bench in Wednesday night’s win over Memphis.
“I put myself in a predicament,” said Clarke, who drained a 3-pointer and four three throws in a 9-0 run early in the third quarter after Erie had come within 50-49. “I wanted to get it right in the second half. You see there were no more fouls called on me.”
The Red Claws led 76-66 after three quarters and scored the first 13 points of the fourth behind Clarke and Levi Randolph, one of the seven players to reach double figures in scoring.
Joining Young (12 points) and Clarke on assignment from Boston was Jordan Mickey, who had 12 points, eight rebounds and a blocked shot in nearly 25 minutes of action, his first for the Red Claws since Jan. 16.
“I’ve gotten a little better in certain aspects of my game,” Mickey said. “Just being more patient and making better reads.”
In limited action against the Grizzlies, Mickey blocked three shots in 10 seconds, which sent the Celtics’ bench into a frenzy.
“It’s great to have teammates like that,” he said. “Whatever opportunity we get, they’re always happy for us to make something happen.”
Thursday night also marked the third Red Claws game and first at the Expo for Marcus Thornton, Boston’s second-round draft pick last spring from William & Mary who played in Australia instead of going to training camp with the Celtics.
In 24 minutes he scored 11 points, grabbed four rebounds and had four assists, a steal and a blocked shot along with one turnover.
“He’s another guy who can get to the rim off the dribble, which is key for us,” Morrison said. “He can hit open shots, which is also key for us. So he fits in real well that way. And defensively, he’s been pretty good. He gets in the right spot. He’s aggressive. And every game he seems to get a little more comfortable.”
Morrison said his goal for each five-game stretch was for the team to win at least three games. The Red Claws did exactly that four times, went 1-4 in mid-January and followed up with three consecutive 4-1 records.
They return to action Friday at the Expo against Grand Rapids – who beat them twice in Michigan this season – with a rematch Sunday.
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