Is Chris Bosh one of the league's top 10?

[TheNextBestThing]

Fox sports has an interesting poll here. Apparently, most people would call Bosh a top 10 player (the vote is 60-40 in favor right now). Bosh is a great player, but I don't see top 10.

 

 

1. Kobe Bryant

2. LeBron James

3. Dwyane Wade

4. Dwight Howard

5. Chris Paul

6. Carmelo Anthony

7. Dirk Nowitzki

8. Steve Nash

9. Kevin Durant

10. Deron Williams

 

Though evidently, I'm in the minority. So, is Bosh a top 10 player? If so, who on my list does he top?

[JWaLL]

Fox sports has an interesting poll here. Apparently, most people would call Bosh a top 10 player (the vote is 60-40 in favor right now). Bosh is a great player, but I don't see top 10.

 

 

1. Kobe Bryant

2. LeBron James

3. Dwyane Wade

4. Dwight Howard

5. Chris Paul

6. Carmelo Anthony

7. Dirk Nowitzki

8. Steve Nash

9. Kevin Durant

10. Deron Williams

 

Though evidently, I'm in the minority. So, is Bosh a top 10 player? If so, who on my list does he top?

No Duncan?

[Real Deal]

Nah, can't say he is after looking at that list.

 

And as far as Duncan goes, I'm sure it can be argued. Tim isn't the same dominant big as he was a few years ago, but he's still arguably top ten. I could say Bosh is the better player TODAY, though.

[Poe]

Chris Bosh is more like a top 5 PF.

[TheNextBestThing]

No Duncan?

 

 

No. Duncan isn't quite the same this year. In fact, I'd say that Bosh is now better than Duncan.

[Built Ford Tough]

Strictly looking at play from this season, I don't see how you can argue that Chris Bosh hasn't been a top 10 player in the league thus far. He is 8th in scoring, 6th in rebounding, has the 5th highest PER, 3rd in made free throws, 5th in attempted free throws, has the 6th highest rebounding percentage, 3rd in offensive win shares and 5th in total win shares.

 

He is the only player in the NBA who is in the top 10 in both scoring and rebounding, is top 2 or 3 in double doubles and leads the league in 20/10 performances.

 

He is right up there with Dirk as the best power forward in the NBA so far this season, and a legitimate argument can be made that Bosh has outplayed Nowitzki up to this point. The Mavs have more wins in a tougher conference, obviously, but you can't deny that Dirk has more help than Bosh does (although Dirk's supporting cast isn't that good either). Dirk doesn't have as much offensive help as Bosh does, but his team is significantly better defensively.

 

From a purely statistical stand point, they are averaging:

 

Bosh

 

24.2 ppg

11.4 rpg

2.2 apg

1.1 bpg

52 FG%

59.4 TS%

 

Nowitzki

 

25.1 ppg

7.8 rpg

2.4 apg

1.1 bpg

48.1 FG%

57.4 TS%

 

I don't see how you can make the argument that Dirk has the better numbers than Bosh does. Bosh scores 0.9 ppg less on 2.1 less FGA per game and his USG% is lower than Dirk's (28.9-28.6 for Dirk). But I would gladly take the 3.6 more rebounds per game than the extra point a game or so. Bosh has been the more efficient player when it comes to scoring the ball, but Dirk is remarkably efficient for a jump shot oriented player.

 

Defensively, both are average at best. Dirk has the luxury of not being forced into a defensive anchor role which cannot be said for Bosh. Bosh's defensive weaknesses are magnified because of this fact. I'm not saying that Bosh is a great defensive player or anything because he is an average defender even when he isn't forced to anchor a defense, but if he was playing alongside a good defensive center than his defense would obviously improve.

 

Basically everything that was considered to be a weakness for Bosh during the first 6 years of his career he has improved upon this season.

 

Bosh settles for jumpers too often.

 

This season he has been among one of the most aggressive players at driving to the rim and initiating contact. He has mixed up his jumper and drives to nearly perfection. Every now and then he gets a little jump shot happy (like the game against New Jersey yesterday) but for the most part he has done a great job of mixing up his jumper and his drives, which puts the defense on their heels. Being 3rd in free throw makes and 5th in attempts should indicate that this is simply no longer the case.

 

Bosh is too soft.

 

Bosh is among the league leaders in both offensive rebounds and total rebounds. If you watch him play you see that he is more often than not the lone Raptor battling among 3 opponents for rebounds and is coming down with them. Defensively he has done a much better job of holding post position on opposing players and making them work for their position. Obviously he has trouble battling some of the heavyweights in the league like Dwight Howard, Andrew Bynum, Shaquille O'Neal or Zach Randolph, but what do you expect Bosh to do when guarding players that he is giving up around 30 pounds to? If you call Bosh soft still, it just makes it clear that you have seen him play maybe once or twice this entire season.

 

Bosh folds under pressure.

 

Bosh has done very little in terms of making late game, pressure situation plays in the past, but this season that is not the case. He has come up huge against the Spurs, Sixers and Magic. Against San Antonio he hit a dagger shot of his own over Tim Duncan and made a terrific find through the double team to Andrea Bargnani for the game sealing 3 pointer. Against Philly he made big play after big play down the stretch, which was capped off by a game winning 3 point play. Against Orlando he didn't necessarily score the big bucket or assist the big bucket, but he was generating so much attention from the Magic that once he caught the ball he would be seeing a 2nd or even 3rd defender on him. The attention that he commanded opened everything up for his teammates once he kicked it back out to them. Obviously he still has a long ways to go before he sheds the reputation as a unclutch perfomer and a handful of games doesn't change that, but he has made strides.

 

Bosh can't lead a team as the number one option.

 

This one is still up in the air, but there is no mistake that Bosh is a legit number one option in the NBA. He may not be a number one option on a Championship team, but being one of only 2 big men in the NBA in the top 10 in scoring for the past two seasons (last year and currently this season) should be enough of an indication that this man is a legit 1st option in the NBA. Everybody needs a supporting cast and up until this season, Bosh has yet to receive much help, and even then, this year, his supporting cast isn't anything out of the ordinary. Jack has played well after a slow start and Bargnani has been much improved (although still fairly inconsistent) but outside of that there really hasn't been anybody that he could rely on game in and game out. Bosh isn't going to be a number one option on a Championship team, but to say that he can't be a number one option on a very good team is false.

 

Bosh is a superstar player right now. Make no mistake about it. The only thing that is holding him back from being an elite franchise player with the likes of Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade is his play on the defensive end of the floor. Bosh is a top 3 offensive big man in the league at the very least, with a very legit argument as being the best offensive big man in the NBA.

 

Is Bosh a top 10 player? Well, that is debatable. What is not debatable is whether or not Bosh has been a top 10 player this season because he undoubtedly has.

 

Fox sports has an interesting poll here. Apparently, most people would call Bosh a top 10 player (the vote is 60-40 in favor right now). Bosh is a great player, but I don't see top 10.

 

 

1. Kobe Bryant

2. LeBron James

3. Dwyane Wade

4. Dwight Howard

5. Chris Paul

6. Carmelo Anthony

7. Dirk Nowitzki

8. Steve Nash

9. Kevin Durant

10. Deron Williams

 

Though evidently, I'm in the minority. So, is Bosh a top 10 player? If so, who on my list does he top?

 

Again, based entirely off of play from this season alone and nothing more, you can make an argument that Bosh can top any of the players on your list that I bolded. I'm not saying that he is better than the guys that I bolded, but based on play from this season alone, I don't see how you can say that he can't be at least argued over them.

[Check my Stats]

What BFT said Bosh really has taken another step in his development this year, especially I have noticed as of late he is actually closing games out. A lot of times our guys forget about him and start launching 3's, but when Bosh gets touches down the stretch he usually is a sure bet to get a bucket or get to the line, or at least get a high percentage look. Bosh's D is also criminally underrated, people sometimes act as if he is some sort of defensive liability, when at the least he is a really solid defender, how often do opposing PF's go off on him? He is not a great defender, but he is really solid which is good considering the offensive load he has to carry as well.

 

I believed Bosh was better suited in a role where he had another all-star at his side, or as a 2nd option, but after this year it is clear that Chris Bosh is a legitimate franchise player in the NBA, and is arguably the best PF in the entire NBA.

 

Yes, Chris Bosh is definitely a top 10 NBA player this year. Just wish he could get some consistent support so his team's record would make that deceleration a lot more convincing.

 

It is kind of hard to make a cut and dry list like that though, but when you tihnk of what constitutes a top 10 player, dominant offensively and at least solid on D, I think Bosh fits the bill. I mean all the guys 7-10 on the first posts list, could easily be argued as inferior to Bosh.

Edited February 5, 2010 by travesy3

[Real Deal]

Again, based entirely off of play from this season alone and nothing more, you can make an argument that Bosh can top any of the players on your list that I bolded. I'm not saying that he is better than the guys that I bolded, but based on play from this season alone, I don't see how you can say that he can't be at least argued over them.

I can't say Bosh is a better player than Nash. Steve does twice the work Bosh does on the floor.

 

Howard's defense is far superior to Bosh's, while Bosh seems to be the better scorer (more moves, range). Howard takes it because he forces more doubles. You put him under the rim, and teams have no choice but to double. It's a sure dunk if he's too close.

 

Kevin Durant is the better offensive player, by far. Neither play defense, and technically, Durant has less help in a tougher conference. In my mind, I have no reason to argue this because it shouldn't be up for debate.

 

If you don't think Bosh is better than CP3, you can't say he's better than Williams. Deron is a better point than Paul.

 

The Dirk/Bosh debate is complicated. Bosh is the better power forward, but Dirk is the better player. While I'd take Bosh if I was needing someone who does more work in the post, I would take Dirk as someone who can do more work at all spots on the floor. So...I don't know. That can be debated, definitely.