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Miami Heat: What Can We Expect From Chris Bosh’s Return?

By David Ramil

January 11, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Miami Heat center Chris Bosh (1) shoots a basket against the Los Angeles Clippers during the first half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
January 11, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Miami Heat center Chris Bosh (1) shoots a basket against the Los Angeles Clippers during the first half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /
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When Chris Bosh spoke to the media at the end of this injury-plagued Miami Heat season, he seemed upbeat and positive. He had much to be thankful for, as the blood clots in his lungs that ended his season – and had been potentially life-threatening – had been dealt with over the past few months.

Moreover, he was excited about the possibilities of next season and what Heat fans could expect:

Whether Bosh meant compete for a title or simply playoff contention is anyone’s guess, but clearly the All-Star forward has lofty goals for next season.

He added that he’s looking forward to the prolonged offseason to “work on (his) game.” We heard similar comments from Bosh last summer after he signed his max-level contract with Miami. Specifically, many critics expected Bosh to return to a low-post offense similar to what he employed with the Toronto Raptors. That style changed drastically when he joined Miami in 2010, where LeBron James and Dwyane Wade would often occupy the low-post while Bosh expanded his range to become a deadly 3-point shooter.

But while Bosh only played in 44 games last season, it became evident that changes to his game were minimal from the perimeter-based offense of the previous “Big 3” era.

Bosh did average an impressive 21.1 points per game but of his 745 total shot attempts, 168 came from beyond the 3-point line. He was on pace to set a new career-high in 3-point field-goal attempts; his previous career-high (218) were spread out through 79 games in the 2013-14 season.

In fact, little of Bosh’s work came around the rim. Per NBA.com, Bosh attempted just 209 shots from within 10 feet of the rim – that’s less than just the total number of mid-range shots (214) that he attempted from 15-19 feet away.

So when Bosh says, as he did on April 17, that he’s going “back to the lab to rebuild” his game, what can we realistically expect? Bosh added that he’s looking forward to working with a player acquired shortly after his season-ending diagnosis: Goran Dragic.

But one of Dragic’ main strengths is his ability to finish at the rim. Like Wade, the backcourt duo are able to contort themselves with great skill and finish shot attempts that look impossible. The expected growth of Hassan Whiteside – definitely a low-post presence – will likely clog up the paint even further.

Additionally, Luol Deng has already grumbled about being forced to the perimeter during his one season with Miami. Should Deng execute the player option in his contract and return to the Heat, chances are they’ll need a find a way for him to be effective away from 3-point territory.

All of which means that Bosh is most-likely to be effective from mid- to long-range. While rebuilding his game sounds great, the reality is that Bosh – and the Heat – will best be served by recommitting to his deadly outside shot. While his speed and agility allow him to be a strong finisher at the rim (at nearly 52 percent from within 10 feet), it’s his jump shot that will allow Miami to reach those lofty goals of playoff contention.

Next: 30 Best NBA Shooting Guards of All-Time

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