Chris Bosh answers dilemma for Erik Spoelstra with his performance in game 2 – NBA Feature
Chris Bosh has emphatically answered one of the most difficult questions facing Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra in the post season.
Spoelstra was undecided about whether he would play Bosh off the bench in Game 2 of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder, or whether he would start him for the crucial game. Miami had lost Game 1 and wanted to win one
game in Oklahoma City before heading back for South Florida to give them a psychological advantage in the NBA Finals.
It was an important game and an important decision had to be made. Spoelstra decided to start with Bosh and the All Star power forward proved his coach right.
Bosh had suffered a sprained abdominal strain in Game 1 of the Eastern conference Semi Finals against the Indiana Pacers. He did not play for the rest of the series but after an initial road bump, the Heat were able to defeat the
Pacers 4-2 owing to phenomenal performances by LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.
Bosh eventually returned in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics after missing 9 games. The series was tied at 2 games with Miami having the home court advantage in game 5. Spoelstra played Bosh in
the important game but had him come off the bench, limiting to only 14 minutes of playing time.
Bosh did not set his foot on the floor for the entire of the fourth quarter as Miami lost to Boston. Spoelstra went with the same strategy in game 6 and 7 and in series decider, Bosh finally found his rhythm. He came off the bench
to score 19 points and was a potent threat from beyond the arc, spreading the floor for Miami.
His absence to start the game did not hurt Miami as James led them to a quick start without having any scoring difficulties.
With the strategy of having Bosh come off the bench working well in the critical game 7 of the conference finals, Spoelstra decided to play Bosh off the bench one more time in game 1 against the Thunder. And he had to pay for it.
Bosh made no impact in that game and the Thunder ran away with the victory after trailing by as many as 17 points in the first half. Bosh is one of the best power forwards in the league and of great importance to Miami. He helps
spread the floor for the Heat which allows Wade and James to penetrate and get those easy shots. He also adds a third scoring option to the Heat line up which makes them less predictable offensively. He balances the team like no other individual in the Heat
roster. Hence, it is critical for Bosh to start the game and get into his rhythm.
Bosh finished with 16 points and 15 rebounds in game 2 after playing 40 minutes. He was 6 of 13 from the field and made big plays in clutch to guide Miami to victory. He was the difference maker in Miami losing game 1 and winning
game 2. Miami need to place him in areas where he can continue to be aggressive and find his rhythm early on in the game because consistent performances from him are critical in the team’s attempt at winning the championship.
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