On This Day In Heat History: In 2014, Chris Bosh Secured Victory On His 30th Birthday With A Late Blocked Shot
It was a special day for Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh.
He was celebrating his 30th birthday and had the opportunity to play in front of the hometown fans. On a day meant for him receiving presents, he delivered the organization a gift in the closing seconds.
Bosh blocked Damian Lillard's shot on the final possession, helping the Heat hold on for a 93-91 victory against the Portland Trail Blazers at AmericanAirlines Arena. It was yet another win in the Heat's pursuit of a fourth straight trip to the NBA Finals.
"This game's about passion," Bosh told reporters afterward. "As hard as it is during the dog days to muster it up, the spark has to come from somewhere."
Two days earlier, Bosh was critical of teammates after a loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. The saving play showed he meant what he said.
"If you talk it, you back it up," then teammate LeBron James said. "That's what it's about. We have guys in here that will deliver the words and then go back it up. That was big-time on his part."
James finished with a game-high 32 points on 13 of 23 shooting. The Heat led by many as 17 in the fourth quarter before nearly blowing it. They were playing for the 19th time without Dwyane Wade, who was involved in a maintenance program most of the season.
James helped the Heat avoid a late meltdown by scoring the winning layup with 11 seconds left. It was one of the final moments for Bosh, now 36, as a basketball player. He played his last game Feb. 9. 2016 after a battle with blood clots ended his career. Last year the Heat retired his No. 1 jersey, joining Tim Hardaway, Shaquille O'Neal, Dwyane Wade and Alonzo Mourning in the rafters.
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