MIAMI – Observations and other interesting notes from Monday night’s 110-95 win over the Brooklyn Nets:

– Well, that sucks.

– Really, really sucks.

– A few days after an expected move to a standard contract that would more than double his salary, Dru Smith was down with 8:18 left in the second period and was seemingly immediately aware of the serious injury to his left leg.

– Helped off the field and his wife accompanied him through the tunnel leading to the locker room.

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

– He recovers enough to become essential to Erik Spoelstra’s rotation.

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

– And now this.

– Prayers come first.

– He is a good boy, a nice guy, a hard worker and a dedicated teammate.

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

– Roster options could include Dennis Smith Jr., who remains available.

– It could also be that Isaiah Stevens is signed up to a two-way deal by the Heat’s G League affiliate.

— Or maybe Terry Rozier, who was sidelined Monday with knee soreness, will become what the Heat expected him to be 11 months ago when he was acquired.

— But given the Heat’s position against the luxury tax, a standard contract for the lost Dru Smith seems highly unlikely.

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

– Now it looks more similar.

– He deserves better.

— After explaining on Saturday that the move of Nikola Jovic and Smith to the starting lineup that night was due to the loss of Jimmy Butler and the Magic’s great front line, Spoelsta took a different direction on Monday night.

– This time, Spoelstra stuck with Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson and opted for Haywood Highsmith and Jaime Jaquez Jr. as other starters.

– Jovic was uneven on Saturday in place of Highsmith.

– With Highsmith virtually out of the rotation in Orlando.

– With Rozier also sidelined, Monday night’s shift brought Smith back into the reserve rotation.

– Until he was eliminated with 8:18 minutes left in the second period.

– Monday’s lineup also began the catastrophic defeat on December 2nd in Boston.