TORONTO - The first step came Friday night, the Miami Heat showing they can win with their new mix.
So, now, the first victory since Jimmy Butler was dealt and the first since Andrew Wiggins and Davion Mitchell were acquired.
A small step for Erik Spoelstra's team, but a necessary one with this 120-111 overtime victory over the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena.
Next up? The challenge to show that this remix can work against quality composition, with the Milwaukee Bucks up next, on Sunday, on the second stop of this three-game trip that concludes Monday night against the Atlanta Hawks.
Still underwater in the standings, at 26-28, the Heat snapped a season-longest overall four-game losing streak, as well as a three-game road losing streak.
As with most things Heat this season, it wasn't as easy as it set up, another double-digit second-half lead squandered. Not only did the Raptors enter at 17-38, but with a power rotation so depleted that they were forced to start former Heat center Orlando Robinson.
Back from his first All-Star appearance, Tyler Herro led the Heat with 28 points, supported by 25 from Wiggins, with Bam Adebayo adding a 19-point, 12-rebound double-double.
Five Degrees of Heat from Friday night's game:
-- 1. Closing time: The Heat led 30-19 at the end of the opening period and 57-48 at halftime, after taking an early 14-point lead.
The Heat then pushed their lead to 12 in the third period before Toronto came back to take a lead, with the third quarter ending with the Heat up 84-80.
Eventually, Wiggins got to the line with 45.4 seconds to play in regulation on a three-shot foul, converting all three free throws to close scoring in regulation in a 107-107 tie, with Adebayo off on a jumper just before the regulation buzzer.
In the extra period, three Adebayo baskets and a Herro 3-point play helped stake the Heat to a 116-109 lead with 2:16 left.
Wiggins then added an insurance bucket to effectively end it.
-- 2. An initial eight: There was little doubt about Spoelstra playing this one for keeps.
Even with the game starting a run of three games in four nights, Spoelstra stayed with a tight eight-man rotation through the middle of the second period.
After opening with Herro, Adebayo, Wiggins, Mitchell and Kel'el Ware for the second time, Spoelstra limited his initial bench rotation to Nikola Jovic, Duncan Robinson and Terry Rozier.
That had, among others, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Haywood Highsmith, Pelle Larsson, Alec Burks and Kyle Anderson out of the mix.
Burks eventually entered midway through the second period, with Anderson entering for the first time midway through the third.
-- 3. Early work: The plan going in was to get Wiggins, making just his third Heat appearance, as acclimated as possible.
So while that included a pair of Wiggins turnovers as well as a missed Wiggins 3-point attempt in the opening minutes, the ball continued to funnel to the former Warriors forward, who then followed up with a pair of 3-point conversions.
Wiggins closed 9 of 19 from the field, with eight rebounds, also showing his perimeter defensive chops.
-- 4. Adebayo's milestone: With his double-double, Adebayo tied Rony Seikaly at 221 for the Heat franchise record.
Adebayo is one of only three players over the Heat's 37 seasons with at least 200, with Alonzo Mourning at 205.
But it hardly was a fluid night for Adebayo, who was called for three quick fouls early in the third period, forced to the bench with his fourth with 6:20 left in the third.
He closed 8 of 13 from the field.
-- 5. Herro's night: In his first game since his first All-Star appearance, Herro played as both scorer and playmaker, both elements needed with the Heat getting little in the way of assists from their point guards.
Herro not only shot 10 of 18 from the field, including 4 of 9 on 3-pointers, but also had seven assists. By contrast, Heat point guards Mitchell and Rozier combined for two assists.
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