A five-game stretch on the road for the Miami Heat began with a loss to the Milwaukee Bucks 109-85 on Friday.

The loss was the third straight for the Heat and also their fourth defeat in five tries. Miami is now under .500 with its 9-10 record this season. The recent poor stretch has moved the Heat down in the Conference standings and has them on the verge of being out of the top eight.

Luol Deng was unable to play due to his bruised hand and could miss additional time as well. Due to his absence, Danny Granger was given a start. It was a rare start for the veteran and he ended up with seven points in his 27 minutes.

Mario Chalmers also made a start due to Norris Cole missing another game with an illness. Chalmers racked up only nine points in 36 minutes but he had six steals and six assists. The guard was very active and was a big reason for Miami's early lead in the game.

The Heat played with nine men in the rotation due to the injuries. In addition to Deng and Cole missing the game, Chris Andersen remained out with an ankle injury. Udonis Haslem and Hassan Whiteside were dressed but did not see any time.

Rebounding was an issue for Miami once again with Milwaukee collecting 45 in contrast to 20 boards for the Heat. Offensively, the Heat only had three rebounds with two coming in one early possession. The lack of second change scoring opportunities played a big role in the loss.

Things won't get easier for the Heat as they head to Memphis on Sunday for a game with the Grizzlies.