Charge Watch

Chris ForsbergVerified account ‏@ESPNForsberg  13m13 minutes ago
More
Marcus Smart making a spirited, ahem, charge trying to catch Olynyk in #chargewatch2017. Celts leaders:

12: KO
11: Smart
6: Jerebko, Zeller
0 replies 1 retweet 9 likes
Reply    Retweet  1  
Like 9



bob
MY NOTE:  Considering how few minutes Zeller plays it is quite impressive he has taken as many charges as Jerebko and more than most of the team.  396 minutes, total, so far for Zeller this year.  That's 1 charge taken for every 66 minutes played.  Compared to Jerebko, who has 6 charges taken in 876 minutes.  That's 1 charge taken for every 146 minutes played.

The only players who have played fewer minutes than Zeller are Gerald Green (366), Mickey, Young and Demetrius Jackson.  That means that every other player, other than those 4, have had more minutes of opportunity to take a charge than Zeller but only Kelly and Smart have done so.  Kelly, with 12 charges taken in 962 minutes is 1/80 minutes played and Smart has 11 in 1539 minutes for 1/140 minutes played.

A charge taken is better than a blocked shot.  A blocked shot might go out of bounds, giving the ball back to the other team.  A blocked shot might be recovered by an offensive player and put back.  A charge taken, by definition, is a defensive stop that gives us the ball.  It also tags the offensive player with a foul.  It is, therefore, a very important defensive statistic metric since it does numerous good things, things that a blocked shot does not do.  It is also much harder to accomplish than blocking shots. That's why there are so much fewer charges taken, in the league, than blocked shots. The best way of defending the rim is by not letting them near the rim and you cannot earn a charge taken unless you are outside the restricted area.  That is still inside the paint, but it is preventing them from getting to the rim and that is key.


.

Bob,

I fully understand all of your thoughts relating to the many positives of taking a charge, but we still need to trade Zeller for a better rebounding center as soon as possible.

Zeller is a pro's pro, but he just does not bring to our team what a center needs to bring at this time.

It`s easier to take a charge when you are standing still

And, not to criticize Zeller for taking charges, it is much easier to take a charge when you don't ever play outside of the paint.

Bob,

I agree that a charge taken is better than a blocked shot.  I believe that blocked shots are over rated.

Many may remember a few years back when Avery Bradley famously blocked Dwayne Wade.  Everyone went gaga over it, mostly because Wade was (is) such a douchebag.  What many may not remember is that the basketball was recovered by the Heat and the play ended with a corner three.  So much for that highlight reel blocked shot.

gyso