PORTLAND, Maine (Interstat) — The Maine Celtics, fueled by a dominant first-half offensive explosion, cruised to a 122-97 victory over the Windy City Bulls in a G League matchup Sunday at the Portland Exposition Building.

The game was effectively decided before halftime, as the Celtics built an insurmountable lead by outscoring the Bulls 72-36 over the first two quarters. Maine shot out to a 33-18 lead after the first quarter and extended it with a 39-point second quarter, taking a 72-36 advantage into the locker room. The Bulls showed more life after the break, scoring 61 points in the second half, but the deficit was too large to overcome.

The most important part of the game was Maine’s overwhelming and efficient start, which established complete control. The Celtics’ early execution on both ends rendered the contest a formality by intermission. Their ball movement and interior play created high-percentage shots, while their defense forced Windy City into a disjointed offensive performance for the opening 24 minutes.

Keon Johnson led the Celtics with a steady all-around performance at point guard. Keyshawn Bryant provided a bright spot for Windy City from the small forward position. Maine’s frontcourt was particularly impactful, with center Hason Ward and fellow big man Amari Williams of Nottingham, England, controlling the paint. Windy City’s Giorgi Bezhanishvili and Mouhamadou Gueye battled inside for the Bulls.

The win improved Maine’s record to 22-20 on the season, while Windy City fell to an even 19-19. The result avenged a 121-106 home loss to the Bulls just two days prior on Friday.

Maine’s offense was fluid from the outset. The Celtics shared the ball effectively, with Max Shulga of Kyiv, Ukraine, and others facilitating for easy baskets. Kendall Brown of Cottage Grove, Minnesota, was active defensively and in transition, while John Tonje of Omaha, Nebraska, provided scoring punch. The collective effort overwhelmed a Windy City team that struggled to find any offensive rhythm early, with turnovers and missed shots fueling Maine’s transition game.

Windy City’s Lucas Williamson and others attempted to rally the Bulls in the second half with improved three-point shooting, but the Celtics consistently answered to maintain their comfortable margin.

According to Interstat’s ELO system, Maine entered the game with a 60.10 percent probability to win.

Maine next travels to face Osceola on March 8. Windy City continues its road trip at Cleveland on March 3.