Miami Heat forward Caleb Martin has officially been made available for Game 2 vs. the Denver Nuggets after initially being listed as questionable with an illness. While Martin is available and expected to play, the Heat are reportedly making a starting lineup move, and reinserting Kevin Love in Martin's place.
Love has started 14 games this postseason, while Martin has started just four. This lineup change, which was first reported by Jared Greenberg of NBA TV, reverts back to a familiar group that Miami has used a lot this postseason. While this starting lineup is a familiar one for Miami, it is still surprising to see them go away from Martin, who has been their best player at times this postseason.
With Martin battling an illness, it's possible that his minutes and effectiveness could be limited in this Game 2. If this is the case, it makes more sense why Miami is opting for this lineup change. Reverting to a familiar group also allows the Heat to maintain a level of continuity that is crucial in these types of games.
As previously mentioned, Martin is available off the bench for Miami, which is what initially makes this staring lineup change so unexpected. That said, there are some potential reasons for Miami making this move that make sense, such as Martin's illness.
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