Miami Heat: Why a Big 2 Is Better Than a Big 3

Chris Bosh may be the Miami Heat's third best scoring option, but he's looking more and more like a third wheel as this postseason grinds on.

It's not that the All-Star power forward has done anything to deserve such a disparaging label. His two seasons with Miami have more or less amounted to exactly what we expected. His numbers have been consistently solid (in the 18 and 8 range), and there's no doubt he'd produce even more on a team that actually needed him.

But for all his talent, Bosh may not be the best fit with this team.

He's never been an imposing defender, and his offensive skills are better suited for mid-range jumpers than anything in the paint. That isn't always what you want to see from your big men, but it makes some sense when paired with a couple of drive-and-kick pros like LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.

The problem is that Bosh struggles to remain a complementary role player. He wants to do more than put up a handful of jump-shots every night.

But, every time Miami calls a play for Bosh or lets him post up on the block, the Heat find themselves suffering from a "second-best" possession.

This club is proving with every game how important it is for the ball to remain in the hands of James and Wade. Yes, they're elite scorers—but, more importantly, they're also elite play-makers.

Mario Chalmers scored 22 points against the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night thanks primarily to the opportunities Miami's Big Two created for him. That's also the reason Udonis Haslem made a couple of clutch baseline jumpers down the stretch.

The Heat will still be better when Bosh returns, but they would be that much better if Bosh accepted a role that was more commensurate with his skills.

He might have been a legitimate All-Star on a team like the Toronto Raptors, but he'll have to fall in line if the Heat are to live up to their full potential.

Guys like Chalmers, Haslem, Shane Battier, and Mike Miller need their share of shots every night. And, it should go without saying that LeBron and Wade need the ball in their hands if that's going to happen on a regular basis.

It isn't necessarily time to subtract Bosh from the Miami Heat. It's just time to subtract him from the Big Three.