Winderman’s view: Another tough break for Dru Smith; Heat left to digest what’s next after win

MIAMI – Observations and other notes of interest from Monday night’s 110-95 victory over the Brooklyn Nets:

– Well this sucks.

– Truly, truly sucks.

– Days from an expected move to a standard contract that would more than double his salary, Dru Smith went down with 8:18 to play in the second period, seemingly instantly aware of the major damage to his left leg.

– Helped off the court, with his wife joining him in the tunnel leading to the locker room.

– This for a player who had spent months recovering from last season’s devastating injury to his right knee.

– Recovering to the point of making himself essential to Erik Spoelstra’s rotation.

– Including a start in Saturday’s game in Orlando.

– And now this.

– Foremost, prayers up.

– This is a good kid, nice guy, hard worker, devoted teammate.

– And now the cold, hard reality of the NBA.

– Among roster options could be Dennis Smith Jr., who remains available.

– There also could be Isaiah Stevens called up on a two-way deal from the Heat’s G League affiliate.

– Or perhaps Terry Rozier, sidelined Monday by knee pain, becomes what the Heat thought he could be when acquired 11 months ago.

– But with the Heat’s position against the luxury tax, a standard deal for a sidelined Dru Smith would seem highly unlikely.

– Smith spent months last season rehabilitating behind the scenes at Kaseya Center.

– Now it appears more of the same.

– He deserves better.

– After explaining Saturday that that night’s move of Nikola Jovic and Smith into the starting lineup was based on Jimmy Butler being out and the Magic’s large front line, Heat coach Erik Spoelsta moved in a different direction Monday night.

– This time, in remaining with Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson, Spoelstra went with Haywood Highsmith and Jaime Jaquez Jr. as his other starters.

– Jovic was uneven in place of Highsmith on Saturday.

– With Highsmith practically moved out of the rotation in Orlando,

– In addition, with Rozier sidelined, Monday night’s shift got Smith back into the reserve rotation.

– Until he went down and out with 8:18 left in the second period.

– Monday’s lineup also started the Dec. 2 blowout loss in Boston.

– Jovic then entered as the Heat’s first reserve, after Highsmith picked up two early fouls.

– With Kel’el Ware, now seemingly a rotation player, second off the Heat bench.

– Followed by Dru Smith and Pelle Larsson together.

– And then, in his first action in eight games, Alec Burks.

– Burks had last played in that Dec. 2 game in Boston, when Butler also was out.

– Jaquez made his first 3-point attempt Monday, after missing his previous 12.

– Herro extended his career-best streak of games scoring in double figures to 57. His previous high was 38 in a row.

– Herro also extended his career best streak of games with at least one 3-pointer to 61, eight games off Robinson’s franchise record.

– Herro has now converted a 3-pointer in the season’s first 27 games. The longest such Heat 3-pointer streak to open a season was the first 28 games in 1998-99 by Tim Hardaway.

– Spoelstra spoke during Monday night’s pregame about the introspection following Saturday night’s loss in Orlando, when the Heat lost after standing with a 22-point lead through three quarters.

– “We had to address it, first,” he said. “I mean, if you just brush it under the rug, it was, like I said, a tough-ass loss. Those are the ones that hit you in the gut, hard. And there’s lessons to be learned in that.”

– He added of the fourth-quarter meltdown, “We watched it several times, and learned different lessons each time.”

– Spoelstra said his team also allowed the ancillary to become too front and center.

– “Even the emotions when the momentum turns, it feels like the officiating turns,” he said. “You can’t control those. We definitely could have controlled having a better toughness defensively to stop that run.”