Knicks and Celtics G-League Affiliates Tip-Off in 2025 Eastern Conference Semifinal
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by Warren Rosenberg, MetroSports Magazine, April 3, 2025
In what reflected a classic Knicks vs Celtics playoff game, the NBA G-Leage Westchester Knicks, the New York Knicks G-League franchise, welcomed the G-League frachise of the Boston Celtics, the Maine Celtics, to their home court at the Westchester County Center. It was NBA G-League’s Semifnal game of the Eastern Conference with the #2 seed Westchester Knicks (22-12) taking on the number 3 seed Maine Celtics (21-13). It was the Knicks first appearance in the NBA G-League post-season playoffs in six years.
Coming into the game with high hopes of repeating his high school freshman performance on this same court twelve years ago was Westchester Knicks player Jordan Tucker who began his high school basketball career at White Plains High School, a mere 2.9 miles away from the Westchester County Center. On December 28, 2013, Tucker scored 34 points as a freshman in a 74–48 win against Cardinal Spellman, right here at the Westchester County Center, in the annual high school Slam Dunk Tournament. He transferred to Stepinac High School for his sophomore season averaging 16 points per game and then 18 points per game as a junior and earning Second Team All-League honors. For his college career he spent one semester at Duke before transferring to, and finishing his college career at Butler.
Because of limited playing time with only 15 minutes in the game Tucker was held to scoring just 7 points.
Tucker has played professional ball on 4 NBA G-League tems (Windy City Bulls, Rio Grande Valley Vipers, Sioux Falls Skydorce, Delaware Blue Coats) and with Overseas teams in North Macedonia, Bulgaria, and France. His world travels have brought him back to within 2.9 miles of the starting point of his basketball journey. Welcome home, Jordan. His father, Lewis, was also a local basketball standout who played his high school ball at Mt. Vernon High School in Westchester County and went on to play at Tuskegee University.
Moses Brown, a native of Queens NY, played is his high school ball as a member of the Archbishop Molloy and was part of the team that took Molloy to the Catholic High School Athletic Association (CHSAA) championship finals in 2018 and was voted the league’s MVP along with being named a McDonalds All American. After one collegiate season with the UCLA Bruins, Moses took his shot with the NBA draft but went undrafted. He did make it onto the rosters of several NBA teams including some two-way contracts and 10-day contracts with the Portland Trailbalzers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Dallas Mavericks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Clippers, Indiana Pacers and Brooklyn Nets. His NBA G-League play has been with the Rip City Remix and the Westchester Knicks. On the court for 37 minutes, Brown led the Westchester Knicks in racking up 27 points and 26 rebounds for an impressive double-double performance.
Earlier this week, Moses had been designated this month’s NBA G-League Player of the Month for March to a large part based upon his being the first member of the Westchester Knicks to record 25+ points and 25+ rebounds in a single game. He has also set a new franchise record for the Westchester Knicks in single season rebounds at 571.
Stretching the New York Metro region up the the city of Albany, we can consider Boo Buie to be a local product as well. Buie was held to just 7 points by a strong Celtics defense. Buie, in his first year in the NBA G-League after a strong high school career at Northwestern where he became the school’s all-time leader in games played. He currently is on a two-way contract with the Knicks.
Although the loss in this playoff game officially ended the Westchester Knicks; 2024-25 season, there are many reasons to celebrate including Moses Brown’s receiving the G-League’s designation of Player of the Month for March and team General Manager Ryan Borges being selected as the NBA G League’s Executive of the Year.
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