It’s never really made a ton of sense, but when Chris Bosh isn’t having his best game or isn’t taking a ton of shots there’s always someone out there in the online ether demanding he get in the post.
Which, you know, have you ever watched Bosh before?
Nevermind that such demands rely on antiquated views that ignore how the game has evolved in the past 15 years, Bosh has just never been the sort of player to pound it into the paint over and over again. He does happen to be one of the best floor spacers in the league, a dynamic pick-and-roll player, a fantastic defender and one of Miami’s best ball movers, but when it comes time for him to carry the offense he’s scored about a point per possession in isolation – not post-up – situations in all but one season with Miami. Put Bosh alone with his man 15-18 feet from the rim and more often than not something good will happen.
He’s pretty smart about it, too.
At the start of the fourth quarter against Portland, Miami down four and both Dwyane Wade and Goran Dragic out of the game, Bosh found himself matched up with Ed Davis. Unfortunately for Davis, things started out like this.
Good move. Needed score. We can move on, right? Before we do, watch that play again and look at the spacing in the paint. Everyone overloads the weakside and Bosh gets his full sandbox to work with.
Next time down the floor, Miami goes back to the well. Now look at the paint on Bosh’s catch and after he recovers a tipped ball.
Not too many options this time. Bosh takes his only clear avenues, takes one dribble and hits a jumper. It’s a shot he can make, but the spacing isn’t doing him any favors here.
Next time down, Portland again tries to send extra help Davis’ way. Defenders can only sit in the paint for three seconds without actively defending someone before getting whistled for illegal defense, so they stay for their ‘2.9’ as players refer to it. Bosh, confident he can score on Davis at this point, waits them out.
“If I feel like I have a pep in my step, or if I have an advantage on a guy, foot-speed wise, yeah I’m looking past him a little bit,” Bosh said, referring to the help in the paint. “If you just make a move you’re going right into the teeth of the defense while they’re taking their 2.9’s.”
He waits and waits and waits. Almost every player in the league sees their shooting percentage drop the longer he holds the ball, but in this case Bosh uses the paint as a time-sensitive shield to maximize his opportunity.
Meyers Leonard, attached to Hassan Whiteside, is infringing on Bosh’s territory. So Bosh plays a little head game and stands upright just for a moment, staring right at Leonard.
“I just look at him,” Bosh said. “Even if he’s only there for half a second, get him out the paint, and they become conscious and everybody is kind of watching what they do. That’s all I want is to bring attention to it and then I can go into my move.”
A look is all it takes, as Leonard turns his head and retreats a step toward Whiteside to reset his 2.9.
“Soon as they move, I’m moving,” Bosh said. “Their momentum is taking them that way, and I’m going that way.”
It’s a simple thing, waiting out the defense and looking a player into submission, but it’s the sort of move that separates the good scorers from the great ones. Miami began the quarter down four, but after Bosh scored on Davis in four out of the first five possessions, the HEAT lead was three.
How Bosh does it may not adhere to a classical notion of how a big man is supposed to score, but that’s our fault, not his. His way contributes to winning all the same, and it’s a way that comes with plenty to appreciate.
