The Miami Heat lose to a well-rounded Milwaukee Bucks team by 38 points in this disappointing game, and while we didn’t see a star player erupt, we did see a whole team implode.
The 21-21 Miami Heat lost to the 31-12 Milwaukee Bucks tonight and this Bucks team isn’t messing around this season as the 2nd best team in the Eastern Conference. This Heat team did beat Milwaukee in December, where they held the “Greek Freak” to only 9 points, but the Bucks figured out a way to allow the Heat to keep Giannis Antetokounmpo with only 12 points, and still somehow lose 124-86.
And while I was confident and correct that Spo’s strategy of playing a 2-3 zone would allow the Heat to stop Giannis from taking over, I forgot that the Bucks themselves have a strong defense.
No player on this Bucks team scored over 17 points (Eric Bledsoe), but it did not stop the starting lineup from man-handling the Heat of defense. The greek freak in particular had a season high 75 defensive rating, not allowing anyone past him, also grabbing 3 steals along the way.
1. Giannis is really, really good
It looked like Giannis figured out how to produce a small game of points while helping in other facets, as he messed around and got a solid triple-double with 12 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds.
2. Dion Waiters is … being himself?
Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald quoted Dion Waiters saying this after the game:
"“[Expletive] patience,” he said. “I want to play. I’ve been patient long enough. What do I got to be patient for? Come on man. I’ve been patient. I think everybody knows that. It’s time. What are we waiting for? If I’m out there, play me.”"
Should the Heat allow Waiters’ to continue his tamper-tantrum post-game since he has been healhty? I feel a fine coming on soon, or at least a head coach Erik Spoelstra scolding.
3. Miami needs offense, so if not Waiters, who can produce it?
Can Justise Winslow keep creating and scoring at will? Yes, yes he can.
But you cannot just win with Winslow at the helm, Miami needs more, and they may already have more. It may be up to Spo to play the better offensive players more minutes, like Wayne Ellington and Kelly Olynyk. Or it could just be the Heat will get their offensive groove back when Goran Dragic returns from injury in the next few weeks.
Ultimately, Spo will most likely hand the reigns over to Waiters, and I am not too sure how I feel about that.
Next Game
The Miami Heat are flying to Detroit to play the Pistons on Friday at 7 PM Eastern, tune in to see a showdown against Blake Griffin and company.