Preview: Maine Celtics at Birmingham Squadron

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (Interstat) — The surging Maine Celtics, led by a steady hand in guard Hayden Gray, visit the Birmingham Squadron and high-scoring Trey Alexander in a G League matchup Monday at Legacy Arena.

Maine (24-21) enters on a two-game winning streak following a 96-91 victory over Grand Rapids on Friday. The Celtics have won three of their last four as they push for playoff positioning in the Eastern Conference.

Gray has been the engine, averaging 12.9 points and 6.9 assists over his last eight games. He is coming off an 18-point, eight-assist performance in the win over Grand Rapids. Keon Johnson added 17 points and six assists in that contest, while Jalen Bridges contributed 16 points and nine rebounds.

They face a Birmingham (17-28) squad that has found its offensive rhythm, winning two straight and three of its last five. The Squadron are coming off a dominant 122-95 road win over Grand Rapids on Wednesday, fueled by a historic performance from Alexander.

The guard recorded a triple-double with 31 points, 13 assists and five rebounds in the victory. Over his last six games, Alexander is averaging 23.2 points and 8.7 assists, including two 30-point outings. He combined with Christian Shumate (25 points, 10 rebounds) and Hunter Dickinson (15 points, 15 rebounds) to overwhelm the Gold.

While Birmingham boasts the hottest individual performer, Maine brings the more consistent recent form and a significant edge in the standings. The Celtics won the teams’ only prior meeting this season, 127-117, in Portland on Jan. 15.

The Squadron will look to leverage home court and Alexander’s explosive playmaking to level the season series. Maine will counter with Gray’s distribution and a balanced attack that has produced over 110 points per game during its recent successful stretch.

Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CDT. The teams will meet again at Legacy Arena on Tuesday.