Josh Richardson said Tuesday that Chris Bosh remains a steadying influence, even with the All-Star power forward away from the Miami Heat.
"I don't want to get too much into it, because he's not here," Richardson said following Tuesday's practice in advance of Wednesday night's game against the Detroit Pistons at the Palace of Auburn Hills. "But he's just been a good mentor for me. I talk to him about every week. It's in-house stuff. I don't really want to put it out there. He's been good."
Bosh has not been around the team since he failed his preseason physical, after missing the second half of the past two seasons due to blood clots.
For Richardson, it has left him with a support system within the traveling party _ and beyond.
After Richardson shot 1 of 11, including 1 of 8 on 3-pointers, in Monday's loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on the second stop of this four-game trip, coach Erik Spoelstra said Tuesday he wants Richardson to feel comfortable enough to attempt 12 3-pointers against the Pistons.
"I want him absolutely having that gunslinger mentality," Spoelstra said. "He was open on those and I want to leverage that percentage. It'll come back in his favor. He has to have that kind of confidence and we have that confidence in him."
Spoelstra said would look to limit the length of Richardson's stints, with Richardson forced into the starting lineup with small forward Justise Winslow sidelined by a sore left wrist that again will have him out Wednesday.
"I may have to tweak the rotation a little bit, where I'm not playing guys so many extended minutes, our perimeter players in particular," Spoelstra said, with center Willie Reed (knee) and guard Wayne Ellington (thigh) also ruled out of Wednesday's game. "J-Rich, I may have to get him quicker breaks and less long stretches. But I'll be able to work that out."
Richardson said it also is comforting to know he still has Bosh's ear.
"He's been good since I got here," he said. "He's been great for me."
