Bosh might be the Heats starting center, so whats the possible line up?

[KCattheStripe]

There are only two teams, maybe three teams that can make the Heat pay for Bosh at C.


LA Lakers
76ers
Pacers.

Memphis. Nowhere to hide him on D.

[Smitty77]

Wdleehi,

You asked this:

Yes, the Celtics were without Green, AB and Wilcox.  But would anyone trade those three for Bosh?

I would NEVER give up those three for Charmin Bosh!!  NEVER!!!!

Smitty77

[Moranis]

There are only two teams, maybe three teams that can make the Heat pay for Bosh at C.


LA Lakers
76ers
Pacers.

Memphis. Nowhere to hide him on D.

I think Bosh's "lack" of defense has been greatly exaggerated.  Bosh is a respectable defender.  He isn't KG, but is in KG's mold i.e. tall, lanky, but strong with great quickness.  Bosh would probably struggle with those 4 teams, but so will KG.  They will both be pushed around by the big strong centers, ultimately though, I think both KG and Bosh will do a good enough job against those teams defensively and both will have huge advantages on the other end of the floor with their quickness and outside shooting.  I just can't see Dwight Howard being able to defend Bosh or KG with any real effectiveness so it certainly works both ways.  I also wouldn't be surprised to see someone like Haslem playing PF but guarding Dwight (for example) with Bosh on Pau.

[hpantazo]

There are only two teams, maybe three teams that can make the Heat pay for Bosh at C.


LA Lakers
76ers
Pacers.

Memphis. Nowhere to hide him on D.

I think Bosh's "lack" of defense has been greatly exaggerated.  Bosh is a respectable defender.  He isn't KG, but is in KG's mold i.e. tall, lanky, but strong with great quickness.  Bosh would probably struggle with those 4 teams, but so will KG.  They will both be pushed around by the big strong centers, ultimately though, I think both KG and Bosh will do a good enough job against those teams defensively and both will have huge advantages on the other end of the floor with their quickness and outside shooting.  I just can't see Dwight Howard being able to defend Bosh or KG with any real effectiveness so it certainly works both ways.  I also wouldn't be surprised to see someone like Haslem playing PF but guarding Dwight (for example) with Bosh on Pau.

I agree. I also expect KG and Bosh to draw guys like Howard and Bynum out of the paint with their ability to hit outside jumpers, thus negating their paint presence and opening the floor for guys like Rondo Wade etc to penetrate.

[wdleehi]

There are only two teams, maybe three teams that can make the Heat pay for Bosh at C.


LA Lakers
76ers
Pacers.

Memphis. Nowhere to hide him on D.

I don't think there big men have the height/strength advantage at C these three teams do.

[wdleehi]

Wdleehi,

You asked this:

Yes, the Celtics were without Green, AB and Wilcox.  But would anyone trade those three for Bosh?

I would NEVER give up those three for Charmin Bosh!!  NEVER!!!!

Smitty77

You can call him names, but he is still a better defender then most give him credit for.  When healthy, he plays even with KG. 

[Yoki_IsTheName]

does that mean they're going to play Lewis at 4? Man, talk about stretching the floor, opening the lanes for LeBron.

[hpantazo]

Wdleehi,

You asked this:

Yes, the Celtics were without Green, AB and Wilcox.  But would anyone trade those three for Bosh?

I would NEVER give up those three for Charmin Bosh!!  NEVER!!!!

Smitty77

You can call him names, but he is still a better defender then most give him credit for.  When healthy, he plays even with KG.

Bosh is a great player, but even with KG? No way. KG is a former MVP and defensive player of the year. Bosh will never be either of those things.Even at his age last season our team went from looking like a top 3 team to a lottery team every time he went to the bench.

[Chris]

Wdleehi,

You asked this:

Yes, the Celtics were without Green, AB and Wilcox.  But would anyone trade those three for Bosh?

I would NEVER give up those three for Charmin Bosh!!  NEVER!!!!

Smitty77

You can call him names, but he is still a better defender then most give him credit for.  When healthy, he plays even with KG.

Bosh is a great player, but even with KG? No way. KG is a former MVP and defensive player of the year. Bosh will never be either of those things.Even at his age last season our team went from looking like a top 3 team to a lottery team every time he went to the bench.

I don't know if they meant that he is as good a defender as KG.  I think he just meant that he is an overall wash with KG...and I think I would probably agree with that.

Bosh brings a lot more offensively than KG does at this point in his career, and he does bring enough defensively.  He is not a great post defender, but he is a very good team defender and one of the better perimeter defending big men in the league.

[indeedproceed]

Bosh's ability to play center should be described like this:

"He's dominant offensively against virtually any other center in the NBA, and he's 'good enough' defensively so even if he's overmatched, it doesn't make the power of his offensive mismatch null."

I quoted myself there so you guys could just copy and paste when you want to win arguments.

[Smitty77]

Even with KG??  As the great John McEnroe used to scream, "You can't be serious!!":-))))) 

KG is TWICE the defender is and at least even with Bosh on offense.  He is also THREE TIMES the team leader.  Bosh is a FOLLOWER, not a leader!!  All this is true despite the age difference.

Smitty77

[wdleehi]

Wdleehi,

You asked this:

Yes, the Celtics were without Green, AB and Wilcox.  But would anyone trade those three for Bosh?

I would NEVER give up those three for Charmin Bosh!!  NEVER!!!!

Smitty77

You can call him names, but he is still a better defender then most give him credit for.  When healthy, he plays even with KG.

Bosh is a great player, but even with KG? No way. KG is a former MVP and defensive player of the year. Bosh will never be either of those things.Even at his age last season our team went from looking like a top 3 team to a lottery team every time he went to the bench.

I don't know if they meant that he is as good a defender as KG.  I think he just meant that he is an overall wash with KG...and I think I would probably agree with that.

Bosh brings a lot more offensively than KG does at this point in his career, and he does bring enough defensively.  He is not a great post defender, but he is a very good team defender and one of the better perimeter defending big men in the league.

Head to head in the playoffs, they play even.


KG is better defensively.

Bosh is better offensively at this point. 



I think KG is the better player, but in the playoffs, it is closer to a wash.  Bosh's ability takes away from KG being the help defender in the team defense. 

[Chris]

Wdleehi,

You asked this:

Yes, the Celtics were without Green, AB and Wilcox.  But would anyone trade those three for Bosh?

I would NEVER give up those three for Charmin Bosh!!  NEVER!!!!

Smitty77

You can call him names, but he is still a better defender then most give him credit for.  When healthy, he plays even with KG.

Bosh is a great player, but even with KG? No way. KG is a former MVP and defensive player of the year. Bosh will never be either of those things.Even at his age last season our team went from looking like a top 3 team to a lottery team every time he went to the bench.

I don't know if they meant that he is as good a defender as KG.  I think he just meant that he is an overall wash with KG...and I think I would probably agree with that.

Bosh brings a lot more offensively than KG does at this point in his career, and he does bring enough defensively.  He is not a great post defender, but he is a very good team defender and one of the better perimeter defending big men in the league.

Head to head in the playoffs, they play even.


KG is better defensively.

Bosh is better offensively at this point. 



I think KG is the better player, but in the playoffs, it is closer to a wash.  Bosh's ability takes away from KG being the help defender in the team defense.

Yeah, that is pretty well put.  I also give Bosh a couple extra points in the regular season, because of the extra minutes he gives his team.  At least last year that balanced out in the playoffs, but I do think the young legs help even the playing field a bit.

[mmmmm]

There are only two teams, maybe three teams that can make the Heat pay for Bosh at C.


LA Lakers
76ers
Pacers.

Really?  Disagree.

KG at the 5 can definitely defend Bosh.  Bosh has never, ever been able to stop KG - and with Lebron at PF - no other big man to help him?

Heck, while I would not expect Wilcox to be able to stop Bosh - I'm not so sure Bosh can stop Wilcox in the post.  That's probably a draw overall.

Bosh could probably stop Collins from scoring anything.  But Collins will beat the crap out of Bosh physically before he fouls out.  And that allows KG to rest.

Basically, its a team game and I believe a rotation at the 5 of  KG/Wilcox/Collins beats a rotation of Bosh/Anthony/?.

If the question then moves to how do you deal with Lebron at PF, well you don't need to stop him.  Jeff Green should be able to at least slow him down.  Pierce has, when healthy, been able to at least keep up with Lebron.  And during times that Wilcox is at the 5, you can actually put KG at PF.   How does Lebron even begin to defend KG?

The point is, again, that it is a team game.  We should have different looks to play with.  It isn't always just about having to stop them - but also forcing them to stop you.

We match up very well in the back court.   How are they going to match up with the pairings we can create with RR, AB, JT & Lee?   That is a hell of a lot of speed, two (potentially 3) elite sharp-shooters and three superior defenders.  And one of the game's best offensive field-generals.

Its an important point:  The Heat did not have to deal with that foursome in the playoffs.

Here is another point.  In 11 meetings last year, the Celtics won 6.  They won the last two when our team was clearly worn down to the bones and they got Bosh back.  (And we'll skip past the gift they got in ECF Game 2).

However you dice, it there is no way you can say they were clearly superior to the Celtics last year.  If you want to say they were 'better' - sure.  Whatever.  But if they were, then it was close.

Since then, the C's have gotten dramatically better up & down their bench, upgrading all their top-rotation players not named KG, Pierce, Rondo & Bass.  We have more size AND speed to put on the floor.  More shooters.  And better defenders.

The Heat are adding Allen and Lewis to their top-rotation.  Are those upgrades over the guys whose minutes they are taking?  Probably.  By how much?

I like our chances.

[Prof. Clutch]

Bosh at center did create some problems for us last year in the playoffs.  I think one of the things that killed us vs. the Heat was Bosh's ability to pull KG (the only player on our team capable of protecting the hoop/altering shots) away from the basket.  When KG played Bosh close Lebron and Wade had a much easier time getting to the hoop and converting.  When KG cheated off him to help protect the paint Bosh made us pay by hitting some big outside shots.