| Athleticism | No Ratings |
| Defense | No Ratings |
| Quickness | No Ratings |
| Jump shot | No Ratings |
| Rebounding | No Ratings |
| Post skills | No Ratings |
Chris Bosh
#4 - Chris Bosh - Toronto Raptors
Season: 23.3 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 2.7 apg, 49% fg percentage, 81% ft percentage
Career: 19.2 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 2.1 apg, 48% fg percentage, 79% ft percentage
It’s his sixth year in the NBA and Chris Bosh is finally emerginig as the player Toronto fans envisioned him to be when he was selected fourth overall in the 2003 NBA draft. Bosh has been a rock for the Raptors - steadily improving and eventually earning himself the ‘franchise player’ moniker, but will it be enough to hurdle the Raptors from pretender to contender?
Since Bosh took the reins of the Raptors in 2005, he has blossomed into a very steady player with a very unique skill set. He can hit the outside shot, put the ball on the floor, make his free throws and has very good passing ability. Oh, add to the fact that he’s a long 6-10 and you have yourself a big with great potential. Bosh isn’t without his problems, however. But, to set the record straight, did not lose anything in the 2003 draft by not picking Dwayne Wade - for example - as they are two different players. I believed it then, I still believe it now. Bosh is a forward, Wade is a guard - it’s really that simple.
The Good:
Bosh has a sweet jumper; there’s no doubt about it. He can hit that mid-range shot to keep his slower defenders honest - allowing him to mix up his game. He can put the ball on the floor and is long enough to make some pretty tough baskets in the lane. Bosh is also a very good help defender. He comes from the weak side to block shots with regularity and isn’t afraid to take charges.
The Bad:
His jumper is so sweet that he often falls in love with it. It doesn’t matter if the Raptors are rolling or getting pounced on - Bosh takes way too many outside shots. Defenses have accounted for this by putting smaller defenders on him; which seem to give him all sorts of problems. Bosh is also a very poor man to man defender. Even with his quickness, he often gets beat off the dribble on every play.
The Ugly:
Bosh has become a whiner. If a play doesn’t go his way he can be seen shouting at teammates, officials, coaches or a mixture of all three. During a game against the Bobcats, Bosh had a rebound taken away from him and then angrily hard-fouled a Bobcats player and tossed the ball to the sidelines. Call it competitive spirit if you wish, but that’s downright stupidity when your team is losing.
The Recap:
• Very good outside shooter.
• Versatile.
• Good help defender.
• Shoots a high free throw percentage.
• Needs to establish himself in the post - by spending more than a few minutes there each game.
• Needs to quit complaining and play.
Tips and Tricks:
There’s no real secret to Chris Bosh - guard him straight up. Bosh can’t, and won’t, torch you from outside all game. Play him on a man to man with a quick defender and Bosh will settle. Make sure you have bigs inside to box out the long rebounds and Chris Bosh suddenly turns into a 6-10 shooter. He doesn’t put the ball on the floor with any regularity, so you can sacrifice a few drives for a shooting display.
Final Thoughts:
Bosh is a good player; there’s no doubt about it. He’s elevated his game over the years - but that may only be due to the lack of any other stars to play beside. He has a very unique skill set; but doesn’t do enough to keep defenders guessing. He settles for the outside shot and has a hard time against smaller and quicker defenders. I do believe he has a place in this league, but he is not a franchise player and he alone cannot elevate the Raptors to championship gold. If the Raptors are serious about contending - get this man some help. Bosh has peaked in terms of his effectiveness and won’t show any more dramatic improvement. You know what you have, now build around it or settle for more years of mediocrity.
Write a Review of