When the Miami Heat begin their postseason on Tuesday, rookie guard Kendrick Nunn will be coming off the bench, and Goran Dragic is expected to be in the starting lineup.
The changes will be a shift from the regular season numbers, which saw Nunn in the starting lineup for all of his 67 contests and Dragic start in just three of his 59 games.
The decision to shift the roles of the two players is likely a nod to the 34-year-old Dragic and his 12 years of NBA experience, which include three seasons of playoff competition.
The Heat will have to win four different postseason series to capture their first NBA title since 2013, a process that will span nearly two months. That means playing in pressure games over an extended period, a mindset that’s presumably more suited to Dragic.
Both players put up similar numbers during the regular season, with Dragic averaging 28.2 minutes per game off the bench. During his time on the court, he averaged 16.2 points, 5.1 assists and 3.2 rebounds per contest.
For the 25-year-old Nunn, he made a quick transition from unsigned free agent to starter for the Heat averaging 15.3 points, 3.3 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game.
Things get underway for the Heat on Tuesday afternoon at 4 p.m. EST, when they take on the Indiana Pacers.