<div align="center"></div> <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>He’s learned a thing or two about himself and basketball, too. “That I can play defence,” he said after the United States trounced Greece 92-69 last night. “I know I’m digging a hole for myself with the Raptors and everything because the expectations are going to be there. “I can play defence and I can play a different role. I think that’s hard for guys to accept sometimes, but I just want to win.” Assistant coach Mike D’Antoni pulled out the adjective “magnifico” to describe Bosh’s 18-point game against Greece yesterday, as well as his play overall. Teammate Kobe Bryant gushed over his play. “Chris Bosh was terrific,” said Bryant. “He always seems to find himself in the right place at the right time and when we penetrate he’s able to find a little crack or seam and be able to finish. “And defensively he did a great job on the pick-and-roll and stopping their guards from penetrating. He was getting steals and we converted them into easy points. He did a fantastic job.” Bosh has far eclipsed Carlos Boozer as the backup centre on a smallish American team and with Dwight Howard’s propensity to draw fouls, it could mean more time for the 6-foot-11 Bosh.</div> <div align="center">Source: Toronto Star</div> <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Raptor fans out there? I tell ya, I don’t think I’ve seen Chris Bosh play too much better at both ends of the court than he did in that game on Thursday over here against Greece. Active, intense, unselfish. He looked outstanding. And my spies tell me that’s pretty much how he’s been playing all along this summer with the American team. He’s forced Carlos Boozer to a 12th man role and I’m betting he pushes Dwight Howard for minutes the rest of the way. I don’t know if it’ll translate to every night in the regular season (it’s going to be a lot harder to get up for, say, Charlotte some Tuesday in February than it is for Greece at the Olympics) but something seems to have twigged for the young fella.</div> <div align="center">Source: Toronto Star</div> <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Last night, Bosh was a different player, and Team USA a different team in a 92-69 blowout of the Greeks in pool play. Once Bosh entered the game with starting centre Dwight Howard in foul trouble, the game changed. He chattered constantly, leading and organizing, at the back of the American defence, which snuffed out a dangerous Greek team at every turn. He finished plays at the offensive end with authority, missing one of his eight shots and sharing the team scoring lead with Kobe Bryant with 18 points. Unlike in 2006, he belonged. Bosh played nearly twice as many minutes, 21, as the foul-prone Howard, the NBA SlamDunk champion whose physical gifts may be unbeatable but whose basketball IQ can’t match that of the Raptors star. Bosh jumped out on screens, recovered on help plays, had two steals and two blocks, and generally backstopped an American defence that ate Greece alive. “He’s been playing well on the defensive end, and offensively he was playing big against the big men,” Wade said. “A lot of people questioned him, they said we had just one big man in Dwight. I think he took it personally.” “We’re all aware of the lack of size and everything … I mean, I just don’t want people to forget about me,” Bosh said. “I’m still big, I can still rebound, and I feel that I’m a lot stronger than ‘06.” He is a lot more of everything than he was in 2006. Every year, he puts in the work to improve; every year, he gives you everything he has. The Texan is probably not quite as talented as those other luminaries from his draft class. But he will maximize the talent –and there’s plenty — that he has.</div> Source: National Post <div align='center'></div>
I wish I could've watched the game, but this all sounds real encouraging. I've always been pretty critical of his defense, because he has all the ability and talent but never seems to put enough effort in being fundamentally sound on that end. And I agree with some of those writers: he should be making a legit case for minutes in the future. He's a better player than Boozer and there's no coincidence that the US made their run while Dwight was sitting. Bosh is a smarter player than him, that can coordinate a D from back.
Its a lot easier to take 20 shots a game for a whole season than it is to be committed to defense for a whole season. Although I like Bosh getting after it in the Olympics, it doesn't mean it will translate to the NBA. I'm not convinced he has the mental toughness to play good defense, maintain position in the post, fight for rebounds, block shots, and score 20+ a night efficiently for a whole season. He hasn't shown it yet, at least.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Chutney @ Aug 15 2008, 09:22 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I wish I could've watched the game, but this all sounds real encouraging. I've always been pretty critical of his defense, because he has all the ability and talent but never seems to put enough effort in being fundamentally sound on that end. And I agree with some of those writers: he should be making a legit case for minutes in the future. He's a better player than Boozer and there's no coincidence that the US made their run while Dwight was sitting. Bosh is a smarter player than him, that can coordinate a D from back.</div> You can still watch it on nbcolympics.com I believe.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (L @ Aug 16 2008, 02:18 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>when is the next USA game?</div> IIRC, it is today at 10:00 AM EST.
