By Grace Gajetes

Published: June 16, 2012

Author of 16 points and 15 rebounds last night when Miami beat Oklahoma City in Game 2 of NBA Finals, Chris Bosh seems to have rediscovered his best form.

You have done a very good performance with 16 points and 15 rebounds. It was important for you to be present in the paint tonight (Thursday)?

We knew we would make more efforts in defense. Our strategy was good. And the rebound is a major business for us since the beginning of the playoffs and since the beginning of the regular season, and this is something that can grow as the series progresses. But I just wanted to contribute and be sure to lend a hand under the panels.

Would you be back, be yourself again?

Yes, I think. Tonight was an important game for us and I’m kept in mind that I had to do the work I did before (before his injury), I’m ready or not. Today was an opportunity to see exactly where I am. Fortunately, things went well for us and it went well for me too. Now, we must be careful to rest and to find ways to be better for Game 3.

Having started the game has it changed your approach?

I just wanted to be more aggressive by starting the game. But no matter when I’m on the ground, I will be productive. Being in the five, I wanted to play well especially in defense and spread the game properly knowing that the rest would follow naturally.

Your coach Erik Spoelstra said, when training Wednesday, you yourself had joined the team owners at the time of making five against five. You had obviously decided to start tonight?

It’s just that I knew the time had come. Besides, I must pay tribute to my teammates. They really did a great job adjusting to my role as a substitute in the last series and the first game of the finals. It’s part of the things that we feel sometimes. It was time I lift my game, I am where I should be and I play the way I do.

What was the mood of the team before playing this game? The victory was mandatory?

Absolutely. This is a good team in front and we did not want to find ourselves 2-0 down. We know that to achieve our goal, we must win away. We play well on the road. We won away in the past. Oklahoma City was a serious challenge because they had not lost at home yet, but we felt we had squandered the first game and we could play much better in Game 2.

Unlike Game 1, Miami was able to gain an edge in points scored in the paint (48-32) and limit attacks against Oklahoma City. How important was it for you?

It was part of the key points addressed after the first game in training and during the video session. We are a veteran team, so we know what adjustments we need to do. We are at a level where we can not afford to make too many mistakes and against this team with so many big scorers, we can not let them lay-ups. We just wanted to limit these points give us confidence with a few defensive stops to throw against attacks. But most of all, we wanted to limit their lay-ups because, especially in this room, if they have lay-ups, you’re probably not going to beat them. So we wanted to change that.