Home cooking: Sizzling start powers Bucks past Heat for 2-0 series lead

Bucks reserve guard Bryn Forbes shoots in the first half Monday at Fiserv Forum. He was 6-for-9 from 3-point range.

Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo dunks during the second half.

STEVE MEGARGEE Associated Press

MILWAUKEE — Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 31 points and Bryn Forbes led Milwaukee’s scorching start from 3-point range as the Bucks trounced the Miami Heat 132-98 on Monday night to extend their lead in this first-round playoff series.

Milwaukee shot 22 of 53 from 3-point range — including 15 of 29 in the first half — and never trailed while leading by as many as 36 points. The Bucks’ 22 3-pointers were their highest total ever in a playoff game.

Forbes scored 22 points and went 6 of 9 on 3-point attempts.

The Bucks own a 2-0 lead in the best-of-7 series as they attempt to oust the team that beat them 4-1 in the second round last year. Game 3 takes place Thursday in Miami.

Milwaukee’s two victories in this season couldn’t have looked much more different.

The Bucks needed Khris Middleton’s tiebreaking jumper with 0.5 seconds left in overtime to pull out a 109-107 victory in Game 1, which neither team ever led by more than eight points. Milwaukee essentially put away Game 2 in the first quarter as its 3-point attack went from fizzling to sizzling.

Milwaukee had shot 5 of 31 from behind the arc and made its fewest 3-pointers of the season Saturday. The Bucks were 10 of 15 on 3-point attempts in the first quarter alone Monday.