For the first two games of the Heat vs. Celtics series, Chris Bosh did not have great numbers but he essentially played Kevin Garnett to a standstill.
Not in Game 3 — Bosh had 6 points on 6 shots, plus just 5 rebounds. Garnett had 28 points and 18 boards.
What happened? Bosh explained that nerves were part of it as he got caught up in a raucous Garden crowd, according to ESPN:“Given all the elements that were out there last night ... they were so hyped,” Bosh said. “My emotions got the best of me early on and it kind of dictated what I was doing for the rest of the game….
“I was not trusting my game,” Bosh said. “The toughest thing to do in hostile environments is not just to trust your teammates but to trust yourself. Trust things you’ve been doing all your life.”
Bosh was hesitant at the start of the game and even when the jitters wore off he seemed to be in a funk.
Part of it is physical, Bosh is dealing with a pinched nerve in his neck he got from sleeping wrong. That ended up not being the nerves that were the biggest problem, however.
The Heat don’t need Bosh to dominate to win a game in this series, but he has to neutralize Kevin Garnett. The two have to play to a standstill. If not, this series could well head back to Miami all tied and basically a best-of-three. The Heat don’t want to give the Celtics that kind of life
