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| Dexter Pittman started for the Miami Heat in Game 3. (Getty Images) |
Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra moved second-year center Dexter Pittman and forward Shane Battier into the starting lineup for Game 3 against the Indiana Pacers on Thursday night.
Pittman, 24, started six games for Miami this season with five of those coming during the last week of the season, when the Heat gave some added rest to their star players. Pittman averaged 30.0 points and 2.0 rebounds in 8.6 minutes per game in 35 appearances this season. He played a total of just 301 minutes on the season.
Battier, 33, started just 10 games for the Heat this season, posting averages of 4.8 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game.
Joining Pittman and Battier in the new-look starting lineup were All-Stars LeBron James and Dwyane Wade and guard Mario Chalmers.
Thursday's quintet marks the third different starting lineup employed by the Heat during the series.
In Game 1, the Heat started James, Wade, Chalmers and forwards Udonis Haslem and Chris Bosh. After Bosh was lost to an abdominal injury in Game 1, Spoelstra started James, Wade, Chalmers, Haslem and center Ronny Turiaf. Turiaf played just 13 minutes in Game 2, scoring three points and grabbing two rebounds.
