Chris Bosh wants the ball more. And he wants to be on the low block, not the elbow. He’s shooting more jumpers than ever before and he wants some shots at the rim. But also he wants some key touches go get in the flow of the game, not to be the guy watching Dwyane Wade or LeBron James just take over for stretches.
Pau Gasol can relate.
The Lakers have a tendency to go away from Gasol — who is very comfortable in the high post as the hub of the Lakers offense — so that Kobe Bryant can take over. Or worse yet, Shannon Brown will launch a three rather than make the correct entry pass.
Gasol told Tom Haberstroh of ESPN’s Heat Index he understands where Bosh is coming from.
“It makes sense for him to be more of an inside player, because he’s very productive and very good post-up player there with a variety of moves,” Gasol said. “He can do that for his team.
“As soon as I got to the NBA, my teammates always needed me more of an inside player, even a center, when I was more naturally a power forward so I adjusted to that. I think the Heat need that inside presence. They need a productive post-up player that gives them balance with their other great outside pieces.”
Turns out, Erick Dampier and Joel Anthony are not the inside pieces we are talking about.
This kind of goes back to something Kobe said before about the Lakers and Heat — the Lakers have an identity, they know exactly who they are and how to run their offensive sets. They don’t always do it. Gasol will have a big first half and then get ignored in the second.
But the Heat are still trying to figure some of that out. As is Bosh. And Gasol can relate to that.
