Chris Bosh is often the forgotten star of the Big 3, but he may be the most important to the success of the Miami Heat because of his offensive versatility.

How often do you come across a guy that is a lock for 19 points and 9 rebounds per game over 10 years, and he’s OVERLOOKED? As unfair as that may seem, that is the deal Bosh signed up for when he left the Toronto Raptors for Miami in 2010.

One of the more interesting storylines heading into Game 1 between the Heat and Indiana Pacers, is the health and availability of Bosh. In last season’s series, Bosh was injured in the 2^nd quarter of Game 1, when he suffered a torn abdominal muscle after a drive to the basket and scored over Roy Hibbert.

At that moment, Bosh had ALREADY compiled 13 points and 5 rebounds. As Bosh missed the remainder of the series, his presence was missed as the Heat looked dead in the water and fell behind 2-1 before LeBron James and Dwyane Wade decided it was time for them to be the superstars that we know them to be. Even then, they were still down 3-2 to Boston before Bosh returned full-time.

This season, Bosh is completely healthy, and back to being a matchup nightmare for Hibbert. His excellent midrange game (he’s shooting 51% from 16 feet to the 3-point line) will force Hibbert out from under the basket, which will open up driving lanes from LeBron and Wade.

Bosh’s great shot fake will be a key, as he possesses a distinct quickness advantage over Hibbert. Where Bosh will be most important in this series, is the area that many consider to be his weakness, and that is rebounding.

Indiana has destroyed the Heat on the boards for the most part this season, and the Heat haven’t shown much improvement on the glass since. But Bosh is a 6’11 body that can hold his own on the boards (as his career 8.8 RPG can attest to).

Yes, LeBron is otherworldly. Yes, Wade can impose his will at any time. But in order for Miami to perform and succeed to their championship capabilities, they need Chris Bosh to be a star.

Am I glad that Nate Robinson, Carlos Boozer, and Joakim Noah went a combined 9-for-26?  You bet I am.

Does Chris Bosh’s defense make me roll my eyes at least once per game?  With alarming regularity.

Last night was no different.  Early in the first quarter with Marco Belinelli dribbling the ball up the floor on a semi-fastbreak, hilarity ensues.

Belinelli has the ball, Noah is running to the paint, and Nate Robinson is curling to the right of Belinelli.

Belinelli almost travels (not a huge surprise, this is Marco Belinelli we’re talking about) but manages to pass the ball to Nate Robinson before he does.  Haslem and James trot back on defense — it’s looking like the semi-fastbreak has been stopped.  I also want to point out that Chris Bosh has stayed with Joakim Noah as Noah has taken up space in the paint.

So Belinelli’s defender, Mario Chalmers, switches off of Belinelli and onto Nate Robinson.  Chris Bosh takes up a good defensive position in the paint, discouraging any pass to Joakim.  Udonis Haslem and LeBron James, please take more time to get back on defense.

This is where it starts to get weird.  Bosh starts taking steps toward Nate Robinson and away from Joakim Noah.  Let me repeat that: Chris Bosh takes steps away from the guy he is guarding (who is now unguarded) and takes steps toward a player that is already guarded.  Part of the blame has to be put on Udonis Haslem, who Bosh probably thinks is rotating down to guard Noah, as Bosh steps up to guard the potential Robinson-Belinelli pick-and-roll.

And Bosh keeps on taking more steps towards Nate Robinson and away from Joakim Noah.

The thing I don’t get is that by this point in time (and probably even before this point) Bosh would have seen Haslem and LeBron through his peripheral vision and would have realized that “oh shit, nobody is guarding the guy who I’m supposed to be guarding”.  The other thing he probably should/would have realized by now is that he doesn’t need to help on the play as Haslem and LeBron are standing right there, ready to help if Little Nate uses the Belinelli screen.

But Bosh does none of those things, so Nate Robinson find a wide (and I mean wiiiiiidddddddeeeeee) open Noah for an easy layup.