So why did he do those things? He says he did not want people to think he was a "jerk." He did not want fans to think of him the same way he thought of Orlando Magic centre Dwight Howard during his formative years in the NBA.

"He thought the same thing of me. We both thought each other was stuck up," Bosh said at his team's practice Tuesday. "That's how it is sometimes before you talk to someone. After we talked, I saw he was a light-hearted guy. He loves joking. He just plays hard on the court."

While both Bosh and Howard will be the focus of the opposition's defensive plans when the two teams tip off their opening-round series - likely on Sunday - the two big men will also be taking part in a battle of friends.

Bosh first met Howard in 2002, when Bosh was a freshman at Georgia Tech, and Howard was a highly touted high-school star in the Atlanta area.

And while their negative preconceptions lingered for a few years, the ice was finally broken in the summer of 2006, when they played together for the United States men's national team.

Since then, the two stars have made a point of getting together, at least for a post-game conversation, every time their teams played.

Usually, those times have been painful for Howard. As a general rule, Bosh torches the Magic. Bosh played in two of the three meetings between the two teams this season, averaging 33 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. On Feb. 20 against Orlando , Bosh scored 40 points and hit 14 of his 16 field-goal attempts.

In three games against the Magic last season, Bosh averaged 34.3 points and 11.5 rebounds per game. Over the last two seasons, the Raptors are 4-1 against the Magic with Bosh in their lineup.

All of which gives Bosh ample material for some friendly chiding.

"Usually he's mad," Bosh said of his conversations with Howard. "He'll tell me if I shoot a three on him, or try to take it to him every time, he'll get mad."

Bosh, however, has not put much thought into why he dominates Howard's team. After the Raptors' win over Miami on Monday, Bosh said that no matter who covers him - Rashard Lewis, Howard, or a reserve - he simply tries to use his usual arsenal of post moves and quickness.

His teammates did not provide much more insight on the matter, either.

"He plays good against almost everybody. I don't know if he is better against Orlando or Detroit ," Jose Calderon said. He got 30 [points] and 10 [rebounds] against Detroit [on Sunday], so I don't know. He's our guy. He's our best player. We expect that from him.

"Hopefully he's going to have another four in a row."

As for matching up with Howard on the other end of the floor, Bosh offered the usual strategy: Push him out from the basket as far as possible before he can actually catch the ball. Rasho Nesterovic will draw Howard most of the time, leaving just a few possessions for Bosh to guard his friend, who he gives up about 35 pounds to.

"It'll be very interesting," Bosh said. "There's not going to be any love lost, but you won't be able to tell that when we start playing."

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