Chris Bosh played one of his best games as a member of the Miami Heat, scoring 34 points in a Game 3 win over Chicago Sunday night. For the second time this series he led the Heat in scoring, making 13-of-18 field goals while going 8-for-10 at the line. Game 3 also marked just his fifth 30-point game of the season, two of which have come in the series. He’s played with passion, played with aggression, and he’s been knocking down his outside jumpers. He has been a difference-maker for the Heat and a big reason they’re ahead 2-1 in the series.
But this season has not gone smoothly for Bosh. He was dunked on by Ray Allen last series, admitted he was nervous in Boston, and he was almost in tears following a regular season loss. He’s become a target for mockery and appeared to have a difficult time learning his identity on a team that has two stars in LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. That’s been a difficult adjustment for Bosh to make given his status as the franchise player in Toronto the past several seasons. He even admitted that Sunday night.
Asked after Game 3 about accepting a new role where he wasn’t the focal point of his team’s offense, Bosh said “It was extremely difficult. It was to the point where I didn’t know how I was going to be able to be effective. But I still have to have that aggressiveness that I had then. Of course I’m not going to get as many play calls, I know that, with two other great players and a great team. I just have to be aggressive and have a better swagger about myself and just believe in myself and my teammates and go out there and play basketball.”
Bosh was then asked if he’s had to put aside his ego since joining the Heat.
“Nobody really tells you that [you’re going to have fight your ego],” Bosh answered. “Nobody tells you that’s going to be something that you have worry about. Usually they tell you you’re going to have to sacrifice to win but everybody’s going to go through it in a different way. Ego is a part of that and I didn’t know I had that big of an ego. It’s all for the better sake of winning, that’s what I keep telling myself. So far we’ve done pretty good and I’m just trying to be the best player that I can for this team.”
Once again Bosh maybe disclosed more information to the media than he needed to, but he gave us a glimpse of how challenging things have been for him. His comments also support the skeptics who don’t think the three-way partnership will last in Miami. Bosh has been able to put aside his ego the entire season and it’s led to winning. If they can keep it up, they may be able to win a ring together. But how satisfied will Bosh be as the third option the next few years? It takes a special person to accept such a role, and I think it would be tough to do that for the long-run. But as long as Miami wins at least a title, it will all be worthwhile.
Photo Credit: AP Photo/Lynne Sladky
