Miami Heat: Chris Bosh Crucial to the Team's NBA Title Hopes

The more one sees Chris Bosh play, the more one understands how underappreciated he is.

And, oh yes, he is indispensable to the Miami Heat winning a championship.

But first to his being underrated:

In the Miami victory over the Los Angeles Lakers this past Thursday, Bosh displayed the duality of stick-to-it-iveness on offense and defense that sets him apart, but that which largely goes unnoticed because his play is not especially always flashy.

Watch him throughout a given game—Bosh exhibits multifacetedness all of the time.

In the contest against Los Angeles, LeBron James gave an incredible effort considering he was under the weather; LeBron brought the ball up court in his usual fashion, scored on a variety of nouveau 2012 moves, chased down would-be Lakers scorers on the break to block their shots and so on.

But there was also Bosh—smoothly able and very willing to take over at any time.

Against the Lakers, Bosh sized up Pau Gasol and drove by him. He calmly measured medium-range jump shots and scored. Bosh showed stop-and-go moves to ring the cords, as well.

But that was—or is—just the beginning; Bosh did so much more.

For much of the Laker game, from 30 feet in, Chris Bosh managed the Miami offense. From the top of the circle, he handled the rock as the team's decision-maker, looking for cutters, open shooters, or an opportunity for himself.

Bosh as a facilitator is by design in the 2011-2012 Miami scheme.

Why has the Miami Heat brass elected to designate Bosh as the team's around-the-paint orchestrater?

Because, unlike the basketball pundits who denigrate Bosh,—and the general public who gush over more flamboyant forwards—the Heat brain trust recognize that he is proficiently conversant with all basketball requirements.

Further, they simply now recognize that they're lucky to have Bosh; no other power forward can do what he does and what he is newly called upon to do for the Miami Heat.

In that same 98-87 win over the Lakers, Bosh was 6-for-11 from the field for 15 points and eight rebounds. Not spectacular, agreed. But the point is, when necessary, Bosh can double these totals and still function as a playmaker.

Take for example Miami's previous humbling of the San Antonio Spurs, which Miami won 120-98.

The Miami Herald characterized Bosh's performance as follows:

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"[LeBron]James' four three-pointers were one more than his season total. He also had 10 assists and five rebounds. Not to be outdone, Chris Bosh had 30 points on 14-of-22 shooting and carried the Heat during the first half, when James’ illness appeared to be sucking the life out of him.”

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The tale of that game helps explain why Bosh is vital to Miami winning a championship this year; he is rapidly gaining on LeBron and D-Wade as a team equal.

Here's how Bosh's 2011-2012 role with the Miami Heat is described by the Herald, and the description speaks to his centrality:

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"He [Bosh] would move about five feet over, toward the top of the key, where he will be doing more facing up and decide for himself, each time, if it's a good time to attack....Because that slight, five-foot move to the center of the circle gives him freedom. It leaves Bosh as the decision-maker more than he used to be. He can look for his shot whenever he wants from there, whether it’s a long jumper, a decisive drive to the rim or a one-dribble pull-up into a shorter shot."

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Speaking of long jumpers, the Heat want Bosh to shoot more threes.

How come?

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"Since the start of the 2007 season, [Chris] Bosh is now 6-for-10 from long range in the last 10 seconds of the 4th quarter/overtime of a tie or one-possession game." 

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With LeBron still not over his kryptonite symptoms in the fourth quarter, the Heat will need D-Wade and Bosh at critical moments.

Bosh's fourth-quarter shooting stat is good to know for the Miami Heat organization.

As for Bosh's defensive value, here is a patch quote taken from Olympic coach Mike Krzyzewski in the last day or so:

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"The international game is a little bit different … so versatility on defense is essential. Like in the 2008 Olympics, [Chris] Bosh did an amazing job at the center position."

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The Miami interior defense is predicated on Bosh (and Joel Anthony) making the important block, manifesting proper IQ in exercising weak-side help and Bosh snatching essential rebounds.

No matter; as Coach K alluded, Bosh's versatility is all there.