Fresh off signing a fully guaranteed deal to become the Boston Celtics' 15th and final rostered player, Neemias Queta stepped up to help carry the Maine Celtics to a crucial 106-86 Game 1 win over the Oklahoma City Blue in the G League Finals.
Queta led the way with 13 rebounds and three blocks while finishing second in team scoring with 20 points on 9-11 from the field. He was also credited with an assist and a steal.
The 7-footer's dominant performance comes less than 24 hours after being converted to a standard NBA contract, making him the first Portuguese player to sign a full contract. He will now be eligible to join Boston in its playoff run later this month.
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"Definitely," Queta responded when asked by ESPN analysts if there was added motivation seeing Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens sitting courtside. "Brad has always been in my corner, helping me, letting me know what I'm doing, and I just want to come out here and just make sure he [knows that he] made the right decision."
Having a dominant night defensively with three blocks, Queta credited his improved ability to block shots to Boston teammate Luke Kornet.
"I kind of just picked it up off of Luke," Queta added. "Luke is so good at it, and I see him play so much a lot of times, so I feel like I get to understand how close to get [to the shooter] and how to use that strategy to my benefit. So far it's been working, so I'll keep using it."
Boston's 2022 second-rounder JD Davison led Maine in scoring and assists with 23 and 12, respectively, adding to what has been a dominant season for the Alabama product, who's averaging 21.5 points, 8.5 assists, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game on the year.
Jordan Walsh, Boston's 2023 second-round pick, also looked good for Maine, logging 15 points on 6-10 from the field (3-4 from deep), six boards, three steals, and two blocks.
The Maine Celtics will hit the road for Game 2 on Thursday night where they will look to clinch the G League championship in the best-of-three series. If OKC wins Thursday night, the decisive Game 3 would be Monday night.
