That identity coach Erik Spoelstra said the Heat had gotten away from in recent weeks has apparently been replaced by another set of characteristics.

After Monday night’s 98-83 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks at AmericanAirlines Arena, classify the Heat as a team that is technically frustrated and officially struggling.

On the heels of its third consecutive loss, the Heat (12-12) appears to be facing adversity for the first time in what had been a promising start. Only a week ago, Miami was riding a four-game victory streak, with guard Dwyane Wade drawing early praise as a potential MVP candidate.

But three staggering losses later, the Heat is back to where it started the season — hoping to shed any resemblance of the team that finished a league-worst 15-67 last season.

”We have to stick together,” Spoelstra said of his team, which has lost three in a row by an average of 15 points. “It’s not about how you get into one of these stretches. It’s how you respond.”

For the third game in a row, the Heat fell into a 20-point deficit, played extended stretches without the energy and effort that had been its staple and staggered off the court looking for answers.

Michael Redd scored all of his team-high 21 points in the first half as the Bucks (11-15) raced to a huge lead, held off a much-too-late Heat rally and ended their six-game road losing streak.

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