Takeaways From The Miami Heat's Loss To The Toronto Raptors

The Heat fell 112-104 to the Raptors Wednesday

The Miami Heat were unable to start their four-game road trip with a win, falling 112-104 to the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday.

Here are some major takeaways from the game:

-The Heat’s rookie, Nikola Jovic, got the first start of his career and he didn’t waste the opportunity. Filling in for Bam Adebayo, who was out with a knee injury, Jovic  scored 13 points while grabbing three rebounds. 

-Every time the Heat go up against the Raptors, Kyle Lowry likes to put on a show. Lowry will always be a fan favorite to the Raptors but it won’t stop him from attacking them. He finished with 19 points and knocked down four 3-pointers.

-Max Strus continues to show that he belongs in the starting lineup. After a quiet game against the Phoenix Suns on Monday, Strus went crazy against the Raptors. He scored a team-high 20 points and seemed to never take his foot off the gas pedal. He only shot 37 percent from the 3-point line but he was able to find his way to the basket, particularly in the first half.

-Jimmy Butler never really got into his groove. Yes, he scored 13 points but it’s not the scoring that stands out. It’s the fact he never really tried to score. He only took eight shots and made four of them (both tying for a season-low). It’s unusual for Butler, especially since he played 38 minutes.

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 https://allball30.wordpress.com