Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Following a defeat at the hands of the Indiana Pacers in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals, Miami Heat center Chris Bosh apologized for his poor play, not just in that game, but in several games prior.
It may be time for him to apologize again.
I understand that Bosh isn’t your typical center. He isn’t a back-to-the-basket guy who will use his strength to overpower you and score because much of the time he is smaller than the big men who oppose him. I also understand that it isn’t solely his fault that the Heat lost to the San Antonio Spurs by a 92-88 final in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
With that said, he needs to apologize. What for?
For ever daring to shoot a three-pointer in a playoff game.
Harsh, I know, but the guy simply isn’t a knock-down long-range shooter, although he and his teammates may think he is. It doesn’t matter that he has made 42.9% of his attempts from downtown in the postseason because his regular season numbers — connected on 28.4% of his three-point attempts this year — show that he is a below-average three-point shooter.
His career stats back up this fact as well, given that they aren’t much better than what he did during the regular season, and yet he continues to put up three-point shots.
Furthermore, Mike Miller, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Ray Allen – the four guys who were on the floor with Bosh in the closing minutes of Game 1, including the latter, who is the NBA’s all-time leader in three-point makes – are all better options than him.
And with guys like Shane Battier, Mario Chalmers and Norris Cole sitting on the bench, it’s absolutely asinine for Bosh to take a long-range shot in such an important game. After all, of his teammates, only Udonis Haslem, Joel Anthony and Chris Andersen are less likely choices than the 6-foot-11, 235-pounder to hit a three-pointer.
I might let it slide were it the regular season. After all, the initial 82 games generally see their fair share of lulls, so you might as well keep yourself entertained during those times.
The NBA Finals are no such time. Bosh should know that, given that he was a major reason Miami had so much trouble defeating the Pacers in the previous round.
Apparently he doesn’t, as his 0-for-4 performance in Game 1 shows.
Hopefully he will figure that out before his squad finds itself on the brink of elimination.
Josh McKinney is a writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @SuperJMac32, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
