The Maine Red Claws are a basketball team of the NBA Development League based in Portland, Maine. It is affiliated to the Boston Celtics.[1] On February 25, 2009, the NBADL awarded the city of Portland, Maine with an expansion franchise.[2] The team began playing in the 2009–2010 season. The team's home court is the Portland Expo Building. The team is owned by Maine Basketball, LLC, which is chaired by William Ryan, Jr. The Red Claws made their first playoff appearance on April 6, 2013 as the 8 seeded team. The team was swept by the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in the opening round.[3]
On July 21, 2009 the Red Claws announced Austin Ainge as the first Head Coach of the team.[4] Radio station 96.3 WJJB-FM broadcast the games.[5] This streak continued for the second season and was cut short during the 2011-2012 season, ending the streak at 48 consecutive games.
On June 21, 2012, the Red Claws announced that they had entered a "hybrid" affiliation with the Boston Celtics, making the Celtics the Red Claws' sole affiliate.[6]
The Red Claws made their first play-off appearance on April 11, 2013, in a 118-120 loss to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in the first game of a three-game series.[7][8]
On July 16, 2014, the Red Claws announced that Mike Taylor would not return for a third season as the team's head coach. He had a 45-55 record as coach over two seasons with the team.[9] On August 15, 2014 it was announced CanadianScott Morrison would assume the reins, after 11 seasons as the head coach of Lakehead University's Lakehead Thunderwolves. Morrison spent the 2013-14 season as a D-League assistant.[10]
On April 2, 2009, "Red Claws" was announced as the winning name after a name-the-team contest. Voters in the contest could choose from the Red Claws, Beacons, Crushers, Destroyers, Swarm and Traps. The name and logo give homage to the lobster fishing industry, a major economic engine of the New England area. The use of "Red" in the team's name also serves to pay tribute to longtime Boston Celtics coach Red Auerbach.
Injured
