Maine Celtics Blow Big Lead, Lose in OT

Grand Rapids Gold rally from 22 points down to beat the Celtics at the Expo

Jan. 29, 2026 at 9:15pm

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The Maine Celtics blew a 22-point lead and lost in overtime to the Grand Rapids Gold 122-119 in an NBA G League game at the Portland Expo. Kessler Edwards scored the winning basket for Grand Rapids, which rallied back from the large deficit. Dane Goodwin and Javante McCoy both scored 25 points for the Gold, with Goodwin forcing overtime with a late 3-pointer.

Why it matters

The loss is a tough one for the Maine Celtics, who had built a commanding lead but were unable to hold on. Blowing big leads is always a concern for teams, as it can be demoralizing and hurt their chances of making the playoffs. The comeback win for Grand Rapids, on the other hand, shows their resilience and ability to fight back from a large deficit.

The details

The Celtics led by as many as 22 points, but Grand Rapids fought back in the second half. Dane Goodwin hit a 3-pointer with 3.6 seconds left to force overtime, then opened the extra session with back-to-back 3-pointers to give the Gold a 120-114 lead. Maine answered with five straight points but couldn't reach the target score of 121 after Jalen Bridges missed a 3-pointer. Ron Harper Jr. led the Celtics with 37 points in the losing effort.

  • The game was played on Thursday night at the Portland Expo.

The players

Kessler Edwards

Scored the winning basket in overtime for the Grand Rapids Gold.

Dane Goodwin

Scored 25 points for the Grand Rapids Gold, including a 3-pointer to force overtime.

Javante McCoy

Scored 25 points for the Grand Rapids Gold in the comeback win.

Ron Harper Jr.

Led the Maine Celtics with 37 points in the losing effort.

Jalen Bridges

Missed a 3-pointer that could have tied the game for the Maine Celtics in overtime.

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The takeaway

This game highlights the importance of maintaining focus and composure throughout the entire game, as well as the ability of teams to overcome large deficits through determination and teamwork.