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That’s not how the Miami Heat wanted to start their season.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Heat were blown out at home in his franchise debut Wednesday night by the Timberwolves 131-106.
After the home opener, Antetokounmpo immediately called for better play from himself and the makeshift roster around him following the stunning offseason trade.
“We got to trust each other. When things don’t go our way, we got to dig in. We didn’t do that tonight,” Antetokounmpo told reporters. “Our effort has to be better. It starts with me. My effort has to be better. I set the tone.”
Antetokounmpo arrived in Miami with a completely new squad, as the Heat traded Tyler Herro and more to the Bucks after he had spent his entire career in the Midwest.
The former Buck poured in 35 points and six rebounds, though he didn’t get much help from his supporting cast, and the team’s defense was an even bigger issue.
Minnesota, debuting a new look in its own right with the addition of LaMelo Ball, shot 42 percent from 3-point range on 50 attempts.
Ball had 21 points while Edwards went scorched earth, scoring 45 points in the season opener on 29 shots and 9 of 17 from deep.
“They have two players that can make shots that make your spirit get defeated. You got to keep playing through that,” Antetokounmpo said. “When [Edwards] made shots, we got discouraged, and the game got easier for them. When guys get going, we have to be more physical with them.”
There are plenty of issues for the Heat to figure out, starting with depth, as Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal had some jokes about the roster.
“You take away Giannis, Bam [Adebayo], Klay [Thompson], and [Andrew] Wiggins, name me three Heat players,” Barkley asked the crew of Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, and O’Neal.
O’Neal joked that he could name Herro, now in Milwaukee, and coach Erik Spoelstra to show the team has little behind its starters.
Meanwhile, former player Jeff Teague, who is a popular basketball personality, said he’s out on Miami.
“I’m done with the Heat,” Teague said after the loss. “I didn’t know they were gonna be playing Milwaukee basketball still. I didn’t know they’d take the Milwaukee Bucks and put them in Miami.
“(Giannis) still doing the same s–t. I’m good.”
It’s a big reaction to the first game of their season, but the Timberwolves are a projected Western Conference contender and they exposed some Heat flaws Wednesday night.