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Why you should appreciate Chris Bosh more

Soobum Im / USA TODAY Sports

Chris Bosh may have been right when he said Sunday night that he's probably the "number two" most targeted player in the NBA after LeBron James. Is he actually? There's no tangible measurement for these sorts of things, but he's up there on the list of most unnecessarily criticized NBA stars for sure.

For the first half of his career, as Bosh grew into a perennial All-Star and borderline superstar in Toronto, he gained recognition for his down to earth, goofy and even nerdy off-court demeanor. He was good with the media after entering the Association as a shy 19-year-old, and even when fans would poke fun at him, it always seemed to be in more of a jestful way.

Bosh was appreciated as a legitimate star, but his being the face of a mediocre Raptors team for years, to fans outside of Toronto he became somewhat of a lovable loser. When he made a funny in-game face, filmed a goofy video or said something nerdy in an interview, fans laughed it off as "Oh, that Bosh."

And then Bosh decided he was tired of losing, joining Dwyane Wade and LeBron James in Miami to form one of the most talented trios in NBA history. In the eyes of many, Bosh's antics suddenly went from goofy and endearing to "soft" and obnoxious. Winning will do that.

It used to be that only Shaquille O'Neal really disliked Bosh (It still feels tense and awkward when Shaq and Bosh are on set together). Now everyone outside of Miami did. The narrative quickly shifted to Bosh not being made for an Alpha Male role, to Bosh being a coward for trading in his franchise player status for third banana standing, to Bosh just being too soft, whatever that meant. If you search his name on Youtube, the first auto-fill option relates to Bosh's irresponsibly-called-into-question sexuality.

The hate has died down a bit over the last year or so, and some of Bosh's antics even seem endearing again, but appreciation among the masses for the player he has become still isn't at the level it should be. We often talk about how much the LeBron haters will regret not appreciating James' greatness one day, but even those haters know deep down that he's king. With Bosh, you really do get the sense that his foolish detractors don't understand how good the guy is or how valuable he's been to this legendary Heat run.

Bosh is a nine-time All-Star in 11 professional seasons, a two-time champion three wins away from three-peating, a one-time All-NBA forward, and is probably about four or five healthy seasons away from joining the prestigious 20,000-point club (He's got 15,251 career points at age 30).

In his last season as a No. 1 option - the 2009-10 season with the Raptors - Bosh averaged 24 points, 10.8 rebounds, 1.0 blocks and a sensational PER of 25.0. No player has finished a season with at least 24, 10 and one since, and the only other five players to even post such a season since the turn of the century are Shaq, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Chris Webber and Elton Brand.

Bosh wasn't able to be the best player on a championship contending team, but few are, and his last four seasons in Toronto from a team perspective - with little help - were pretty similar to Carmelo Anthony's last four in New York, for example (although Anthony's Knicks won 54 games and made a second round appearance with more help last season).

Bosh may not be producing as prolifically as he was in Toronto thanks to an obviously lesser role, but his game has continued to evolve and he remains one of the best big men in the league. He's still capable of beating you with his soft finishing touch inside, but he's also now one of the game's best midrange scorers, one of the best outside shooting bigs in the business, a legitimate floor spacer and a well above average defender capable of destroying opposing pick-and-rolls.

That combination of dynamic skills in a 6-11 frame has helped the Heat to four straight Finals appearances and is a big part of why the team is three wins away from a third straight title. All you have to do is think back to Bosh's return from injury in the 2012 Eastern Conference Final against the Celtics, his history-altering offensive rebound in Game 6 of the 2013 Finals against the Spurs, or most recently, his mammoth plays in the final minute of Game 2 of this year's Finals. As a whole this season, you can probably make the argument that Bosh has been more valuable to the Heat than the less durable Wade has been.

During the regular season, Miami's net rating (offensive rating minus defensive rating) per 100 possessions was +9.8 with Bosh on the floor and -0.4 with the big man on the bench. Their defense, which allowed just 100.8 points per 100 possessions with Bosh on the court - a mark that would have ranked fifth in the NBA - plummeted to 106.6 points allowed per 100 possessions with Bosh on the bench - a mark that would rank 24th.

What we have here is a top-20 player of the last decade, a proven star and an integral piece of one of the most successful teams in NBA history. Bosh is approaching Hall of Fame lock status, and yet he's right when he calls himself one of the most targeted players in the NBA (for criticism and ridicule).

He may not be in the same stratosphere as LeBron James, but most have finally come to understand that they should appreciate James' otherworldly talents while they still can. Not enough basketball fans think that way with Bosh. Hopefully his Game 2 heroics can serve as another reminder.

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