"I don't bang anybody anymore."
That's what the Miami Heat's Chris Bosh said last May when discussing his role on the low block. In Miami's pace-and-space offense, Bosh was asked to rely more on his feathery shooting touch than his skills down low. But that offensive philosophy seems to be changing for the upcoming season.
With the loss of LeBron James and new names across the roster, the Heat will need Bosh to once again play like a true big man.
"I had to play a role," Bosh said Tuesday. "I had to play the role for the championships. I feel that I'm back to doing what comes naturally for me, which is being back in the post, being more aggressive. I'm really excited to show the city of Miami what I have."
In his seven-year stint with the Toronto Raptors, Bosh primarily played with his back to the basket. But in Miami's "position-less" scheme, the big man's game was focused on drawing interior defenders out of the paint. Bosh attempted 292 combined three-pointers in his last two seasons with Miami.
Don't expect those numbers to be repeated this year. With James gone and Dwyane Wade's health a perpetual question mark, Bosh will reestablish himself as an inside-outside threat.
"They didn't need me to do that [play in the post]," Bosh said. "(Wade) and LeBron were our post guys. I kind of really used those tools that I gained and put it all together. It's just like riding a bike. You never forget. I have a lot of experience, years and years. Even though I didn't get much experience, I always worked on it because I knew I was going to keep it sharp."
Bosh signed a five-year, $118-million deal during the off-season, cementing himself as Miami's top option. At times, Bosh's touches were erratic due to the ball dominant wings Miami had in James and Wade. But there is little doubt Bosh will be the primary option for this Heat squad.
"Just the demand night in and night out," Bosh said. "Being in that position to where you're expected to have a certain amount of output, to play a certain amount of minutes and score points and get a certain amount of rebounds, it's going to be tough. But I enjoy that challenge. I've always enjoyed it. It's just what comes natural to me. I'm excited. I'm looking forward to everything."
While the loss of the four-time MVP James certainly hurts, the additions of Luol Deng, Josh McRoberts and Danny Granger still has Bosh thinking of playoff basketball.
"Everything isn't going to happen in one day, one week or one month," Bosh said. "It's going to take a while for us to come together. Once we do that, we'll be a very good team."
