3 things we learned from Milwaukee Bucks' win over Miami Heat

The Milwaukee Bucks outlasted the Miami Heat 121-116 in overtime on Saturday at the Kaseya Center. The Bucks extended their winning streak to three while also climbing to fifth in the Eastern Conference. The Heat, meanwhile, dropped to 10th in the East but have clinched a play-in spot.

Giannis Antetokounmpo dropped his second straight triple-double, finishing with 36 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists. He has been playing like an MVP since Damian Lillard went down with an injury, but the Bucks are still trying to figure things out.

Meanwhile, the Heat were without Tyler Herro and Andrew Wiggins due to injuries. Bam Adebayo showed that he could still be a focal point on offense, while Alec Burks and Davion Mitchell tried their best to replicate the production of Miami's best two scorers.

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Three things we learned from Milwaukee Bucks' 121-116 win against Miami Heat

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#1 - Giannis Antetokounmpo should have been a part of the MVP talk

Giannis Antetokounmpo should have been part of the MVP talk. (Photo: IMAGN)

The MVP race has been hyped between the OKC Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Denver Nuggets' Nikola Jokic. SGA is favored to win the award as the NBA's expected scoring champion, while also leading the Thunder to the best record in the league.

Jokic is having his best season yet, which shows how he has been incredible this season. However, Giannis Antetokounmpo shouldn't be overlooked by voters for what he's doing for the Milwaukee Bucks this season. He's averaging 30.5 points, 11.9 rebounds and 6.3 assists, carrying Milwaukee's oldest reiteration to the playoffs.

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#2 - Kevin Porter Jr. will be a key player for the Milwaukee Bucks

The Milwaukee Bucks have been missing Damian Lillard in the past nine games. Lillard was diagnosed with a blood clot in his right calf two weeks ago and was ruled out indefinitely. There's optimism in Milwaukee that he could get cleared to return in a couple of weeks, as per ESPN's Shams Charania.

While the news is encouraging, the Bucks are likely going to be cautious with Lillard. That means Kevin Porter Jr. will have a key role in Milwaukee regardless of Lillard's health. Porter can play like an All-Star at times, but it's about consistency and getting his head in the right place. He showed it against the Miami Heat, finishing with 24 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists off the bench.

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#3 - Miami will still give teams a scare if they make the playoffs

Miami will still give teams a scare if they make the playoffs. (Photo: IMAGN)

The Miami Heat's season was derailed by the Jimmy Butler drama, but they are still set to make the play-in tournament. The Heat have the talent to qualify for the playoffs, with players like Tyler Herro, Andrew Wiggins, Bam Adebayo and Kel'el Ware.

This group had an awful losing streak after the Butler trade and remains inconsistent. Nevertheless, their win over the Boston Celtics earlier this week and how motivated they are heading into the play-in tournament make them a tough out in the playoffs if they make it.