The entire NBA world is currently holding its breath waiting to hear the news about Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks.
Antetokounmpo, one of the greatest basketball players alive, might miss some time due to a tough injury he suffered during Sunday night’s loss to the Miami Heat.
The injury came during a charge and it has a lot of people talking about this method of play in the league.
Is it time to do away with it?
Zach Harper of The Athletic thinks so.
He wrote that it’s time the NBA stops “encouraging dangerous plays in which we’re trying to grift our way toward ‘defensive stops’ instead of setting up a better product on the floor.”
No, you can’t stop injuries from happening.
But here’s what the NBA can do, @talkhoops writes:
Stop encouraging dangerous plays in which we’re trying to grift our way toward “defensive stops” instead of setting up a better product on the floor.https://t.co/2eSnfoJBvw pic.twitter.com/Vb6LUrHHzq
— The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) April 17, 2023
Most people on NBA Twitter were not too fond of Harper’s hot take.
A majority of them felt that eliminating the charge would hurt the league’s defense and would allow the offense of all teams to run wild.
“So then offensive players can just run the defender over?” one fan asked.
So then offensive players can just run the defender over?
— Kevin Perez #FinsUp (@kevinp305) April 17, 2023
In fact, some people suggested that it would make the entire Association feel soft and downright silly, giving fans the sort of entertaining but performative athleticism the Harlem Globetrotters provide.
The Harlem Globetrotters called. They want their game back. 🙄
— ÄlêxåñÐêr †hê Grêå† (@xandergomez) April 17, 2023
One fan summed up their opinion with a simple GIF of Kobe Bryant using the word “soft.”
— Nelly Nel (@ngportss) April 17, 2023
Others said that the charge is a part of the league’s lacking defense.
Really? Its called actually playing with some guts and playing D something thats a lost art in the NBA!
— Rene Prats (@RenePrats1) April 17, 2023
The league is very slow to make any changes so the idea of the charge being taken away is far-fetched.
Harper knows that and he doubts the NBA will really do anything about charging.
But will the league sit around and allow some of its biggest players to miss the most pivotal part of the year?
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