Music: {allcanada} All-star game was tipping point for Bosh

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

{allcanada} All-star game was tipping point for Bosh

Toronto Raptors general manager Bryan Colangelo feels his team's second-half swoon last season may have been because Chris Bosh had already mentally checked out of T.O.

In an interview Monday on Toronto sports radio station The FAN590, Colangelo suggested Bosh returned from last February's all-star weekend a changed man, and the team suffered as a result.

"I've talked so much about those voices that could have been speaking to him at all-star (weekend)," he explained. "I think it's pretty obvious now what some of those voices were.

"Whether he was mentally checked out or just wasn't quite into it down the stretch, he wasn't the same guy and I think everyone saw that. It's just no one wanted to acknowledge it."

Colangelo pointed out that entering the all-star break the Raptors had tied a franchise record with 29 wins.

"It seemed like everything was rolling along," he said, "But then the wheels fell off. Part of that was because Chris got hurt."

Bosh injured his ankle on Feb. 17 and would miss the next six games. Colangelo suggested Monday it was an injury at a key point in the season that Bosh might have been able to play through.

"Despite limited swelling and any excessive damage on an MRI, he felt like he needed to sit for six more games," he said. "I'm not even questioning Chris' injury. I'm telling you he was cleared to play subject to tolerance on his part, and the tolerance just apparently wasn't there and he chose not to play."

Colangelo added he doesn't believe any tampering occurred between players and he gave Heat president Pat Riley credit for creating the salary cap space to accommodate Bosh, Dwayne Wade and LeBron James.

"I don't know what to say other than we had a tough season, based on the timing of that injury and that sequence," said Colangelo.