Chris Bosh Injury Could Be a Blessing in Disguise for Miami Heat Moving Forward

For all the flack Chris Bosh has had to endure since migrating to South Beach, it would be silly to insinuate the Miami Heat are a better team without him.

I'm not.

Nevertheless, the heightened state of injury-paranoia the NBA currently finds itself in has people strapping themselves to a heart monitor anytime a player so much as coughs.

Now, as much as I enjoyed yesterday, I could really do without a league full of Jewish mothers. Lord knows the human heart isn't equipped to deal with that much guilt.

So allow me to be the voice of reason here before people start holding a vigil for Miami's season.

The Heat are still at the top of the totem pole and may actually be better off today than you initially thought. 

Let me tell you why.

First of all, Chris Bosh suffered an abdominal strain.

Now I'm not a doctor, nor do I watch any on the crappy TV shows which feature them, but I suspect we'll see the guy again in the playoffs.

Secondly, it's only the second round, and Miami didn't just prove in Game 1 that they could beat the Indiana Pacers without him, they actually seemed rejuvenated because of it.

Which really should come as no surprise to Heat fans, since if any team could be accused of going through lapses of complacency, oh it's the Heat.

Not that you could really blame them though. Heck, it's no secret they typically beat 80 percent of teams in the NBA when they're only firing on a third of all cylinders anyway (see: recipient, MVP).

So, if you're looking for a silver lining here, you don't really have to reach far.

The added adversity that the Heat has to overcome now may be just the thing to get everyone fully dialed in.

And Heat fans should know about what a blessing adversity can be.

Remember in 2006 when the Heat was getting manhandled by the Chicago Bulls while Gary Payton and Antoine Walker were cursing each other out during timeouts?

At that point, anyone would have guessed Miami's chances at a championship royally flushed itself down a toilet.

Instead, the Heat ended up winning its first championship in franchise history.

See that's what people don't necessarily realize about the playoffs.

That the two biggest nuggets of momentum result from overcoming adversity and hearing criticism.

Now, Miami has both.

Oh where did it get the second one?

Well, you can thank the media for hammering the notion that LeBron's 3rd MVP is more an indictment of his mental toughness than a recognition of his on-court brilliance.

Because, as everyone knows, LeBron has never felt pressure like this before right?

Forget being the most heralded first pick to ever step foot in the NBA.

Forget how he got murdered by the media for "The Decision."

Forget the unprecedented level of media exposure the Miami Heat received last year, which was primarily directed at him.

Heck, forget the two MVP's that preceded the one he got this year.

Now is when things come to a head.

Of course.

I bet if Chris Rock picked up the paper to read that, he'd say "THIS AIN'T HUNGER GAMES, YOU DUMB TRUCKS! THE PRICE OF POKER AIN'T CHANGED FOR THE MAN. HE'S BEEN HEARING THIS SONG SO LONG, HE PROBABLY HAS KANYE SIGNED ON TO DO THE REMIX!"

So, in closing, Heat fans should not lose sight of one very important fact. 

This Chris Bosh setback is only temporary.

And, as the playoffs move further, don't be surprised if it actually ends up paying dividends.

Not to mention an interesting footnote Pat Riley will have the benefit of referring to during the off-season should Miami fall short again.

But let's not jump to conclusions now.