MIAMI — Observations and other notes of interest from Monday night’s 140-138 OT victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers:

– This was toe to toe.

– Not the Heat getting sand kicked in their faces by the Cavaliers.

– As was the case in April.

– Even in November, that’s meaningful.

– Because already this team has shown it won’t back down.

– (Unless it’s against Nikola Jokic at altitude in the final game of a week-plus on the road.)

– There still is a talent deficit against the Cavaliers.

– But this is a team that doesn’t care about any talent deficit.

– Even with Bam Adebayo out.

– Even with Tyler Herro out.

– Are the Heat back? That’s a story for another day, or at least more than 11 games into the process.

– But the fight is back.

– Which puts this season on far better footing.

– And bodes better if there is a playoff matchup.

– As well as bodes better for Wednesday night’s rematch back at Kaseya Center.

– With Adebayo missing a third consecutive game with his toe sprain, the Heat for the third consecutive game opened with Kel’el Ware, Andrew Wiggins, Pelle Larsson, Davion Mitchell and Norman Powell.

– Ware had been listed with a right hip flexor strain on the injury report 90 minutes before the game.

– Inactive again were Adebayo, Herro (ankle), Terry Rozier (not with team), Jahmir Young (G League) and Myron Gardner (G League).

– The Cavaliers opened with Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley, De’Andre Hunter, Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell.

– Jaime Jaquez Jr. again was first off the Heat bench.

– Followed by Nikola Jovic.

– And then Simone Fontecchio.

– With Dru Smith again making it nine deep.

– Heat coach Erik Spoelstra tried not to overstate the Cavs rematch against the playoffs from last season’s first-round blowout.

– “We’re just focused on enjoying the competition,” he said. “It’s not necessarily about the playoffs last year. But there’s deep respect for them and what they’ve been able to do.”

– Of having so many different team leaders in so many different statistical categories on a game-by-game basis, Spoelstra said pregame, “We felt that was a strength of our roster. We wanted to lean into that, regardless of what other people thought. But you also need the emotional understanding and stability of a locker room to also lean into that. And we have a group that’s been willing to do that, and that expands our possibilities, for sure.”

– Spoelstra was asked pregame to reflect on Sunday’s passing of Hall of Famer Lenny Wilkens, who both coached and played in Spoelstra’s native Portland, Ore.

– “He’s a legend in Portland and in the Northwest,” Spoelstra said. “He played two years and was a player-coach for the Trail Blazers before he went to Seattle. Everybody in the Northwest is very familiar with him, in a similar way as Jack Ramsay. He’s one of the titans of the game.”

– Spoelstra added, “Everybody respected his career as a player and a coach, but more so respected him as a human being. And my interactions with him were amazing. He had so much grace and he followed the game and was very complimentary. It was a sad day.”

– FanDuel Sports Network announced Monday it will televise and stream all 24 home games of the Heat’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce.

– Games will stream on the FanDuel Sports Network app and be televised on either FanDuel Sports Network Sun or FanDuel Sports Network Florida in South Florida.

– Coverage begins with the Skyforce’s home opener on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. against the Noblesville Boom, the Indiana Pacers’ affiliate.

– Legendary Skyforce announcer Dan Peters again will be on the call.

– Among those on the Skyforce roster are Heat two-way players Gardner and Young.

– Among those in Monday night’s crowd at Kaseya Center were Heat alums Goran Dragic and Marcus Banks.