January 3rd 2016
Remember Me?
In 2003 the Toronto Raptors drafted Chris Bosh out of Georgia Tech with the 4th overall pick. Bosh was a member of a draft class that included LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony. As a member of the Raptors Bosh made an immediate impact and quickly became the face of the franchise, leading the Raptors to the playoffs in two of his seasons there. He made the all-star team 9 times, he has played on the Olympic team and is one of the premier forwards in the league. However his name sometimes gets left out of the conversation when elite players are discussed.
Toronto Bosh, as I like to call him (no disrespect to the Miami Heat) has returned. The question is where has he been? Lets reminisce, for the Raptors Bosh was the focal point of the offense and the Raptors went as far as he took them. He averaged 20 points and 9 rebounds in his time in Toronto, and then the decision happened. Not LeBron’s but Bosh’s. Bosh signed with the Miami Heat in the summer of 2010, joining Dwyane Wade to form a formidable one-two punch then that punch turned to a party of three when LeBron James also took his talents to South Beach. Three superstars, all used to being the focal point now thrust into the spotlight and forced to adjust their games to appease the other two so that team success would be first above all. Someone would have to sacrifice their offense.
In his first season with the Heat Bosh’s offense dipped and it continued to dip. It was not easy being the 3rd option behind Wade and LeBron but he made the decision to team up with the other stars. He had to sacrifice his numbers for the team. In the 2013-2014 season Bosh averaged 16ppg and 6rbs, his lowest average since his rookie season then another decision changed Bosh’s role in Miami not his decision but LeBron’s. After the Heat lost to the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals LeBron James opted out and returned to Cleveland and then there were two. With James’s departure Bosh was once again trusted into the role of the focal point and in the beginning of the 2014-2015 season he seemed to play the role to perfection. His points per game shot back up to 21per and he reminded the NBA that he could still be a force in the paint and also from behind the arc however his season was cut short when he was diagnosed with a blood clot in his lung and was forced to miss the rest of the season.
Fast-forward to the present, Bosh is back in uniform and looks like he has not missed a beat. This season he has had one of those comeback story seasons thus far. The Heat are 20-13 and are 3rd place in the Eastern Conference, they are 6-4 in their last ten games and not shockingly Bosh has had a major impact in many of those games. In his last eight games Bosh has had seven 20+-point games, one 30-point game and has been a constant leader for the team. In the Christmas game against one of the premiere young forwards of the game (Anthony Davis) Bosh had a monster game 30-points 10 rebounds and 4 assists to be exact. Bosh should be an all-star this season which will be his 10th trip to the annual NBA showcase. CB4 as he was called in his Toronto days has returned but now he wears a different uniform and a familiar hat, his name is Chris Bosh and he plays for the Miami Heat. Remember that.
Twitter: sherman@shermangmz1
Email: shermangmz1@gmail.com
Photo Credit: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images