Heat start Ray Allen in place of Mario Chalmers in Game 5 of NBA Finals
Mike Segar / Reuters
The Miami Heat will start Ray Allen in place of Mario Chalmers in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Sunday. The announcement was made shortly before tipoff.
Chalmers had started every game in which he's appeared with the Heat over the last three seasons. He last appeared as a reserve in the 2011 NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks.
The Heat will now be going with two players that weren't in the starting rotation to begin the playoffs, with Rashard Lewis also in the starting lineup.
Michael Beasley is also active for the Heat, replacing Greg Oden.