Spoelstra gambles in Game 3; Starts Dexter Pittman, Shane Battier

Everyone remembers the 2011 postseason, right? You know, when Heat coach Erik Spoelstra treated his starting center position like musical chairs. Well, thanks to Chris Bosh's injury, the music has started up again.

In a dramatic move, Spoelstra benched Udonis Haslem and Ronny Turiaf for Game 3 on Thursday and instead started Dexter Pittman and Shane Battier. The move shifted LeBron James to power forward for a matchup against David West. Battier started at small forward with Pittman at center.

The experiment didn't start well. Pittman played about 3 1/2 minutes before picking up an off-ball foul on Roy Hibbert. Spoelstra immediately substituted Joel Anthony into the game.

Comments

[Rockmeister]

Where is Udonis Johneal Haslem? Is he playing? Is he hurt? Shot? Or does he have a yeast infection?

[derbani1976]

More like where is d wade????

[AC]

Heat need to activate Eddy Curry. Don't understand why he is not given a shot here.

[Alan Klopman]

The playoffs is not the time to try to figure out who should play. Spoelstra is the worst excuse for a "Coach" I've ever seen. Pathetic.

[osantana]

I think the entire Heat team has a yeast infection after tonight's game, they are really out of the playoff after tonight's game. There's always next year if they get Kaman and a good bench, if not, poor Lebron will be wishing he had stayed at Cleveland after all!

[D]

Wade was an embarrassment tonight - not his play, his attitude. What the heck was he doing? His attitude was disgusting. I'm embarrassed to be a fan tonight.

[Ed]

Shane Battier 0 for 7?
How can he suck that bad at this point of the season?
That was a pathetic excuse for a game.
Spolestra gives Pittman no time during the year, then when we are in one of the most pivotal games of the series, he throws this guy into the fire?
Ugly, ugly game.

[scooby]

Can't believe what a diva Wade has become...all blame and no game.

[T. A. Price]

Spolestra is a poor coach because he has refused to play the two 7 footers he has on this squad. One would have thought he learned from watching Tyson Chandler just be taller than the Heat players and continually gave Dallas extra possessions because he would just bat the ball to a Dallas player. Here we are again and this coach has refused to do the one thing a baby nba coach knows to do and that is play a big in the post. Lebron is not a power forward. Spolestra is not a good coach. Hibbert 16 boards, come on.

[cruzer]

I haven't liked watching the gradual decline of Wade's attitude and sportsmanship. The whining for no-calls, the cheap shots to opponents and now his coach. No longer a fan of him. Oh well, still a fan of the Miami Heat "Team" though.

[kenkade]

Spo is the problem he cannot coach. He is not a good coach, the stars on his team makes him looks good. Until this idoitic coach gets fired the heat will never when a championships. He never uses his bench in the regular season and now he's asking them to step up. Not gonna happened, the heat will lost this series and the off seaon will be a drama filled one for Miami. I dont get caught up into all this basketball drama. At the end of the day, it is as fake as wrestling was nothing but drama. Remember drama sells tickets. Tickets = Money ....

[mostinterestinggent]

We need to cut Wade some slack. This happens all the time as far as in your face arguments between coaches and team mates. Wade has been a great citizen and player since he joined the heat. I only hope he gets his mojo back and we advance.

[Dave]

Spoelstra has been, is and always will be in over his head coaching this team. Pat Reilly must owe this Spoelstra something. HEY PAT!!! SPOELSTRA CAN'T COACH!!!