Takeaways From The Miami Heat’s Loss Friday To The Milwaukee Bucks

The Heat failed to advantage of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s early exit

When Giannis Antetokounmpo left early with a knee injury, Jrue Holiday picked up the load by scoring 24 points to lead the Milwaukee Bucks past the Miami Heat. It was the Bucks' 13th straight victory .

Here are some major takeaways from the game:

-Kevin Love’s first game with the Heat wasn’t what fans hoped for. He went scoreless, going 0 for 4 from the 3-point lie. Love did have did have eight rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one block. When the Heat signed him, they were hoping to bring in a veteran who is a threat from the 3-point line. 

-After being sidelined seven games with an ankle injury, Victor Oladipo returned but scored just two points on 14 percent shooting. It was Caleb Martin who led the bench with 17 points and a career-high three blocks.

-When Antetokounmpo left the game, the Heat had the opportunity to take over the game. Being down by just 10 at the end of the first quarter, the Heat failed to take advantage. Instead, Brook Lopez and Antetokounmpo’s replacement, Bobby Portis, combined for 20 points in the next three quarters.

-Cody Zeller’s was impressive in his debut. He scored 10 points off the bench while shooting 80 percent from the field. Adding Zeller to the Heat’s roster could make up for their lack of size, particularly on the bench.

Cory Nelson is a contributor to Inside The Heat. He attended Northern Virginia Community College. He can be reached at corymckenzienelson@hotmail.com or follow him on Twitter @CKenzyNelson. You can also check out his personal blog HERE.