It's difficult to tell if Rod Strickland's insertion into the Heat starting lineup was a promotion or a demotion.

Entering Saturday's game against the Rockets, Strickland had started three games for Miami. In those three games, he was on the bench in the fourth quarter, playing 23 minutes or less in each of the games.

Against Milwaukee on Tuesday, Strickland played 23 minutes and had seven assists only to watch Anthony Carter finish the game. Against the Wizards, Strickland started and played 22 minutes, replaced in the fourth quarter by a combination of Eddie House and Carter. In the loss to New Jersey on Friday, Strickland did not come off the bench in the fourth, watching instead as Miami fell apart with seven turnovers in the period.

The decision to sit Strickland late in games has nothing to do with his troublesome right hamstring, either. Heat coach Pat Riley said he simply is making instinctual coaching decisions.

"I thought Anthony did a great job against Milwaukee going down the stretch," Riley said. "In Washington, I really felt like we needed shooting. We were down 15 points and were out of it and made a mad rush to get back in the game with Eddie House.

"Obviously, it's a feeling that I have at that time. I'm going to use exactly what I have to use to try to get over the top, and if it's any one of the three of them, I'll do that. It's what I need at that particular time."