Raptors’ Bosh Likes Garden, Not the Glare

[NJNJ]

The first time Chris Bosh performed at Madison Square Garden, he played against Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire as a high school senior in the McDonald’s All-American Game.

 

He has made an annual pilgrimage since, through his college season at Georgia Tech and in each of his seven seasons with the Toronto Raptors. He has always been a visitor, even in high school. This summer the Knicks will try to lure Bosh, who fits somewhere below their yearning for LeBron James and Dwyane Wade and their coveting of Stoudemire and Joe Johnson, into a longer visit.

 

“Everybody in the league likes coming to the Garden and playing here,” said Bosh, who had 18 points and 4 rebounds in the Raptors’ 112-104 victory against the Knicks on Friday night. “It’s just a nice place because of everything that happened here, especially for me. I played my first big game here.”

 

His comments echoed those of the league’s other stars who are free-agents in waiting. The Garden is a nice place to play, they say. Whether Bosh or others decide to make it their home this summer when they are likely to become free agents is the larger issue.

 

Through Thursday, Bosh was averaging a career-high 24 points and 11.3 rebounds. The Raptors are 20-20, having won 8 of 11 games after finding trouble integrating new players this season.

 

“We had nine brand new guys from last year and 12 from training camp a year ago,” Raptors Coach Jay Triano said. “It just takes a little time for everybody to get to know each other and jell a little bit.”

 

Bosh was the predictable holdover as General Manager Bryan Colangelo tried to make over the team — and placate his star player — after the Raptors missed the playoffs last season. Bosh, a Texas native, has occasionally struggled not only with being the face of an organization but also with being the main basketball attraction in Canada.

 

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