Observations and other notes of interest from Friday night’s 111-103 loss to the New York Knicks:

— Even while still atop the East, based on how this one closed, it’s as if the Heat are in in salvage mode with eight games remaining in their regular season.

— So now it will require a victory Saturday night over visiting Nets to scavenge a week that opened with ugly losses to shorthanded 76ers and Warriors rosters, and then this final-period ugliness against the Knicks, when a 17-point fourth-quarter lead was squandered.

— Because a statement certainly is needed.

— The irony is that a Heat win could help solidify the Heat as the No. 1 seed in the East, and perhaps nudge the Nets closer to a No. 8 seed.

— And a first-round matchup.

— Still, a statement against Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving could infuse confidence back into the mix.

— Something Friday night against the Knicks did not.

— Yes, the Nets arrive rested.

— But this is about establishing a homecourt edge.

— One the Heat would hold in such a playoff series.

— Even if this one comes on the back end of a back-to-back set for the Heat.

— Because it is all teetering at the moment.

— Friday night, the Heat rolled out the regulars at the outset, with Bam Adebayo, P.J. Tucker, Jimmy Butler, Duncan Robinson and Kyle Lowry, on his 36th birthday, starting.

— That was after Tucker (knee), Butler (ankle) and Robinson (Achilles) had been listed as questionable going in.

— Tyler Herro sat for a second consecutive game due to knee pain (saving him for Saturday).

— Also out for the Heat were Gabe Vincent (toe) and Victor Oladipo (knee).

— Oladipo went through a pregame workout with assistant coach Caron Butler, creating optimism for a Saturday return.

— The Nets, idle Thursday and Friday, practiced earlier in the day on the Heat practice court.

— With Herro out, Max Strus was first off the Heat bench.

— Dewayne Dedmon followed.

— With Markieff Morris as backup center put aside.

— Caleb Martin was third off the bench.

— And then Morris, at power forward.

— The Knicks again were without Julius Randle.

— And even though Mitchell Robinson was available, he did not start.

— The Knicks opened with Alec Burks, Evan Fournier, RJ Barrett, Obi Toppin and Jericho Sims.

— Butler’s fourth assist gave him 1,000 with the Heat.

— With that assist, he became the 14th player in franchise history to record 1,000, reaching the mark in the fourth fewest games in franchise history. Only Tim Hardaway (112 games), Sherman Douglas (126 games) and LeBron James (151 games) reached the mark in fewer games than Butler’s 161.

— Robinson’s third 3-point attempt moved him past Mario Chalmers for fourth on the Heat all-time list.

— Adebayo’s first blocked shot tied P.J. Brown for eighth on the Heat all-time list.

— Heat coach Erik Spoelstra spoke pregame of adding former Heat camp candidate Mychal Mulder on a two-way contract.

— “We always liked him, and we were excited to have him back in our program earlier this year,” he said of Mulder in January joining the Heat’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce. “He’s improved and he played really well down there.”

— Spoelstra added, “We are excited to have the opportunity to work with him this offseason and continue to develop him. He’s shown some growth since he was with us in training camp in Sioux Falls that first year.”

— Spoelstra said he believed Mulder also benefited by playing with the Warriors and Magic in the wake of his time in Heat 2019 training camp.

— Spoelstra also spoke pregame of Adebayo’s offensive growth.

— “Everything is slowing down for him on the offensive end,” Spoelstra said. “We put a lot of responsibility on his plate. There are a lot of different things that he has to manage and read during the game. I think he is reading the defense much better and he understands the context of what is needed in that moment. That is a credit to his work, film study and adding new responsibility every few months.”

— Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau offered the typical pregame opposing praise.

— “They’re strong on both sides of the ball, so you can’t let your guard down,” he said of the Heat. “They have everything. Different guys can initiate their offense. They push the ball. They shoot the three. They move the ball and they’re great defensively.”

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