MIAMI — Observations and other notes of interest from Thursday night’s 119-114 loss to the Boston Celtics:

– It has been a recurrent theme from Heat coach Erik Spoelstra in recent days.

– The Heat’s play has been better than its record.

– Stated again before Thursday night’s game.

– “Based on everything I’m seeing,” he said, “we should have a handful more wins than what we have right now.”

– So maybe the record doesn’t say who the Heat are.

– But it does say where they stand.

– In play-in-ville.

– It is why this mattered.

– Entering the midpoint of their season only one game above .500.

– With the defending-champion Oklahoma City Thunder up next on Saturday, to conclude this three-game homestand.

– With a five-game western swing then to follow.

– And now, just 21-20.

– A team stuck in the middle.

– With a middling record.

– And no sense of urgency.

– Managing to fall in this one from 19 up.

– Boston may not have Jayson Tatum.

– But they still carry that pedigree.

– Stealing into the South Florida night at 25-15.

– Because their record also says who they are.

– In a similar theme, Spoelstra was asked pregame about only now Tyler Herro and Norman Powell having the opportunity to build extended continuity.

– “Just give us more time,” Spoelstra said. “I think it’s going to look better and better. We need all of our weapons. And getting that continuity and ability to play off each other’s strengths, that comes from actual time out there together. But I’ve been encouraged by what I’m seeing.”

– Again, as the play-in clock continues to tick.

– With Davion Mitchell (shoulder) out, the Heat opened with a lineup of Herro, Powell, Bam Adebayo, Andrew Wiggins and Pelle Larsson.

– Kasparas Jakucionis was the replacement starter in the previous game Mitchell missed against the Celtics.

– So for the fourth consecutive game, Kel’el Ware played off the bench.

– And barely played.

– In his case, not given time.

– With it the Heat’s 13th lineup in their 41 games.

– The Celtics opened with a lineup of Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, Jaylen Brown, Sam Hauser and Neemias Queta.

– With Jaime Jaquez Jr. out, Jakucionis was first off the Heat bench.

– Nikola Jovic followed.

– With Ware making it eight deep.

– And Dru Smith fourth to enter off the bench.

– Smith reached his 100th career steal in the first quarter.

– There even were first-half minutes for Simone Fontecchio.

– Who then played ahead of Jovic in the second half.

– The Heat reported pregame that the MRI taken on Jaquez’s sore knee showed only irritation.

– “He’s already starting to feel a little bit better,” said Spoelstra, who said the injury occurred in Tuesday night’s victory over the Suns. “Not good enough to play tonight. We’ll continue to treat him, but we’re all pretty encouraged by how he responded.”

– Spoelstra again before the game tackled the question of whether the league had caught up to the offensive system and approach the Heat instituted this season.

– “Things that we put together for us we felt made sense for us to be able to maximize our roster,” he said. “And I think there’s a lot more good things going on with what we’re doing. We just need to be consistent with it and ultimately find ways to win games.”

– Of Celtics forward Jaylen Brown taking his game to another level this season, Spoelstra said pregame, “He’s putting a lot of pressure on defenses, driving, attacking, getting to the line, shooting really well. I think he’s just really sharpened up all the tools in his kit. You’ve got to be prepared for his physicality.”

– Former Heat guard Tim Hardaway was among the faces in the crowd.