For the second year in a row, the Maine Red Claws won a division title only to go two-and-out in the playoffs.
The Claws saw their seventh D-League season come to an end Thursday night with a 123-117 loss to the Canton Charge before a crowd of 1,603 at the unfamiliar Cross Insurance Arena.
The Portland Expo, Maine’s home for 24 regular-season games, was unavailable because of a home show.
“It didn’t make any difference,” Red Claws forward Coty Clarke said. “Typical game, typical gym. We just didn’t get it done.”
Canton, seeded third in the Eastern Conference, took the first game 115-114 on Tuesday night in Ohio when a last-second shot by Corey Walden rolled off the rim. On Thursday night, the second-seeded Red Claws lost Walden to a sprained ankle in the first quarter.
“It definitely hurt us,” said Coach Scott Morrison. “He was probably our best player in the first game. He’s been one of the best guards in the league over the last month, six weeks, and really our only true point guard on the roster since Tim (Frazier) was called up (to the NBA New Orleans Pelicans).”
The Red Claws lost another key cog, forward Malcolm Miller, on March 23 at Rio Grande Valley to a shoulder injury and center Ralph Sampson III in the regular-season finale to a knee injury.
Still, they dug out of an early 13-point hole and led eight times Thursday night. After trailing by 10 early in the fourth quarter, the Red Claws rallied behind Omari Johnson, Levi Randolph and Clarke to take the lead, 103-102. For the next three minutes, the teams traded baskets with the lead changing nearly every possession.
The Red Claws had a chance to tie with 52 seconds left when Jordan Mickey was fouled while making a reverse layup, but after an 8-of-8 performance from the line, his final free throw caught the front rim. On Canton’s next possession, John Holland drained a back-breaking 3-pointer in front of the Maine bench while closely guarded by Clarke to make it 121-117 with 27 seconds left.
“I thought he was going to go for the pump fake but he didn’t,” said Holland, who finished with 27 points and sank 6 of 7 3-point attempts. “He gave me a little space and I was able to get it off. You know, it felt good.”
A minute earlier, Holland had sunk another 3 from the opposite wing to put Canton ahead 118-113.
“Holland was a beast this week,” Morrison said. “We couldn’t have played that any better. The shot clock was down to 1 or 2. Cody didn’t foul him. He was right in his face. Holland just rose up and knocked it down.”
Clarke and Johnson each had 3-point attempts miss before the Claws were forced to foul. Quinn Cook, who led all scorers with 31 points, sank both free throws with 11 seconds left to provide the final margin.
Clarke finished with 28 points for the Red Claws, and Mickey added 26 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks.
“We thought we could win the game,” said Mickey, a Celtics rookie assigned to the Claws with Boston teammate James Young. “Unfortunately, Holland came down and hit a big shot.”
Young finished with 11 points. Coron Williams had 13 and Johnson – who hit five 3-pointers – 19.
Despite having their best ballhandler for less than eight minutes, the Claws only turned the ball over three times in the second half, nine times in the first.
“We had a lot of guys playing out of position,” Morrison said. “We had lineups today that we haven’t played all year. I was proud of the guys out there for not giving in and going for the win. In the end we just came up short to a really good team.”
In six playoff games in franchise history, the Red Claws are still looking for their first victory. They were swept by Fort Wayne last spring and by Rio Grande Valley in 2013.
Canton will play Sioux Falls or Westchester. Sioux Falls leads that series, 1-0.
With fans much farther from the playing surface at CIA than at the Expo, individual voices and sneaker squeaks could be heard clearly. The only benefit, Morrison said, was he could hear every play call made by Canton Coach Jordi Fernandez.
“We went from one of the best atmospheres in the league to not a great one,” Morrison said. “But it was even for both teams and wasn’t anything to do with why we won or lost.”
In two seasons under Morrison, the Red Claws are 66-34 in the regular season but a frustrating 0-4 in the playoffs.
“It was a good season for us,” he said. “We caught a couple bad breaks down the stretch with injuries to Corey in this game and Malcolm last (month), so I didn’t say too much to the guys afterward. I was happy with their effort in the second half. It wasn’t our best game but just try to remember a couple learning points and move on.”
Glenn Jordan can be contacted at 791-6425 or
Twitter: GlennJordanPPH
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