Chris Bosh still adjusting to the Miami Heat
When Chris Bosh joined the Miami Heat this summer after seven seasons of being the go-to-guy for the Toronto Raptors, he might have expected the transition to be a bit smoother. But Bosh,
unlike LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, has gotten off to a slow start so far this season, as he goes from being the first option on the Raptors to the third option on the Heat.
"This process hasn't been easy for me," said Bosh of learning to play alongside two superstars. "Just having to adjust to a new role is a lot different. I was letting that show through
my demeanor. I wasn't being aggressive.”
Of the
Big Three, Bosh has clearly been the odd man out, with James and Wade putting up impressive numbers while Bosh's are well below the All-Star level he produced for the Raptors. Bosh entered the season with career averages of 20.2 points and 9.4 rebounds
shooting 49 per cent from the field. So far this year, he is averaging 14.4 points and 5.4 rebounds while shooting 46 per cent from the field.
“I just have to be the same player that I've always been and stop trying to worry about if, when and how and all that stuff and just go out there and play," said Bosh.
Against the New Jersey Nets on Saturday 6 November, Bosh had a season-high 21 points, his best game of the season. When he threw down a powerful slam dunk off a pass from James, Bosh flexed
his muscles and let out a yell. You could tell he had been waiting a long time to do that.
"That's what I've done as a player," Bosh said. "I've always kind of just showed my emotions and the excitement and just controlled rage. I think that's always been a strong point for
me. I really have to get that back."
Heat forward Udonis Haslem said that Bosh will have the hardest time acclimating to the new team because James and Wade often have the ball in their hands and are left free to be playmakers.
“We just want him to be himself,” said Haslem. “We understand it's a new team, new system, but the things he's done to get to this level, we want him to continue to do it."
Tags: