Observations and other notes of interest from Friday night’s 128-120 victory over the Charlotte Hornets:

– No, the Hornets’ youth was not lost on Heat coach Erik Spoelstra.

– Not with what Kon Knueppel, Brandon Miller and Charlotte’s other recent lottery picks have delivered amid this Hornets revival.

– But Spoelstra also used his pregame platform to note what the Heat have done with their youth.

– With options otherwise limited on this night, with Norman Powell, Andrew Wiggins and Simone Fontecchio among those out for the Heat.

– So, like many other coaches who have faced the Hornets in recent games, Spoelstra was asked pregame about the emergence of the Hornets.

– “It’s hard not to have noticed the level of basketball they’ve been playing,” he said. “They’ve been one of the bigger topics in the league, and rightly so. They’ve been on a heck of a run the last six weeks.”

– He added, “Last time we played them, the rosters were slightly different. Miller didn’t play in those games, but they’ve also fortified their bench. So they’re doing it on both ends.”

– Spoelstra said he appreciates what it takes for a young team like Charlotte to come of age.

– “I think probably the thing that’s unique that stands out with them is the fact that they’re winning right now with a lot of young players,” he said. “Typically, that takes some time. And it has with them. The second half of the season, you can see their young players have gotten very familiar to how they want to play and then what impacts winning.”

– Spoelstra likened that somewhat to the Heat’s process and progress this season.

– “The two teams are somewhat similar in that regard, because we’re playing some young players in our rotation, more so than we have in the past. And it’s taken some time,” Spoelstra said.

– He added, “But we really think we’re playing some winning basketball right now in the second half of the season.”

– And with that, with veteran options limited, Spoelstra again rolled with the youthful likes of Kel’el Ware, Pelle Larsson, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionus and even Myron Gardner.

– Before the game, Spoelstra also addressed the knee tendinitis that had Wiggins out.

– “He’s dealt with it for the last handful of days, and it didn’t loosen up enough today to be available,” Spoelstra said, “but hopefully we can treat him and hopefully make sure it’s a short-term thing.”

– The Heat next face the Detroit Pistons on Sunday night at Kaseya Center.

– With the Heat idle on Saturday and the Pistons playing in Brooklyn on Saturday night.

– With Powell (groin) still out and Wiggins now out, the Heat opened with Larsson, Gardner, Davion Mitchell, Tyler Herro and  Bam Adebayo.

– The Hornets opened with a lineup of Miles Bridges, LaMelo Ball, Moussa Diabaté, Miller and Knueppel.

– It was Jaquez and Ware first together off the Heat bench.

– Followed by Jakucionis.

– With Dru Smith making it nine deep.

– At that stage, the only other players available for the Heat were two-way players Vlad Goldin and Trevor Keels.

– Smith then was forced to the bench with three fouls in his first five minutes.

– Smith is now one appearance from 100 for his career.

– It was the 200th regular-season appearance for Jaquez.