Coming into the 2012-13 NBA season, the Miami Heat are the reigning champions and the team to beat. Many teams in both conferences made moves to improve their squads with the Los Angeles Lakers, Brooklyn Nets, Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks, Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Clippers all adding pieces to the puzzle, but the Heat remain the team many are picking to come out on top for a second straight season.
With Miami bringing in Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis, some changes will be made to the rotation. One of the biggest differences for the Heat heading into next season will be Chris Bosh moving from power forward to center.
Even though Bosh has experience at the five spot, there have been doubts about whether or not Bosh’s skinny frame can hold up against the likes of other dominant centers in the league with size advantages.
Bosh was asked if he was worried about matching up with Andrew Bynum and Dwight Howard in an interview with Joseph Goodman of MiamiHerald.com:
Still, the question remains: How is he going to match up against the game’s traditional centers? Things slow down in the playoffs. Games grind to a halt and half-court basketball takes over. What then? Is he worried about banging inside with Philadelphia’s new center, Andrew Bynum, and the Lakers’ new tent pole, Dwight Howard?
“Not even those two,” Bosh said. “I’ve played them before. It’s nothing I haven’t seen. Yeah, they do have a weight advantage but that’s only in your mind.”
During the off-season, Bosh has made an effort to bulk up with his new role as the starting center for the Heat. Despite his best efforts, Bosh is clearly outmatched physically in comparison to Bynum and Howard. That may become abundantly clear when the Heat take on the Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers during the course of regular season and potentially in the playoffs or NBA Finals.
Currently, there are three other players behind Bosh on the depth chart at center. Joel Anthony, Dexter Pittman and Mickell Gladness will likely share minutes at the position and Anthony may ultimately become the starter if Bosh isn’t the answer.
