The NBA needs to change the block/charge rule for player safety

The NBA has many rules that need to be changed or removed altogether. For instance, the challenge rule — teams should get another challenge if their first one is successful. Currently, teams are penalized if they use their challenge early because no matter what, they don’t get a second challenge.

Another one: when offensive players run down the court and stop as a defender runs behind them, it draws a foul on the defender. The charge/block rule also needs an adjustment. As you see, I didn’t say to eliminate it, but it is time for a change.

During two Game 1s of the first round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs, we had two superstar players go down on similar plays. In the Memphis Grizzlies and Los Angeles Lakers Game 1, Ja Morant drove to the basket and went up high for a shot. Anthony Davis slid into the paint, and both Morant and Davis went down hard.

Morant was called for a charge on this play, which is part of the problem. If you look closely at this play, Davis is moving even as Morant elevates into the air. To be fair to the refs, it is incredibly close, but you can see Davis’ right foot still sliding even as Morant leaves his feet. Morant and Davis collide, and Morant tries to brace his fall with his hands and is now possibly out for Game 2.

The fact that it is such a bang-bang play makes it extremely difficult for referees to make the right call. Unfortunately, that play was not the only collision that sidelined a player yesterday. In the Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks game one, we had another superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo leave the game after colliding with Kevin Love in the first quarter.

Again if you look closely, Love is still moving as Giannis takes off. The difference was Love was called for a block. Put the two plays side by side, and it really isn’t a difference in the defenders positioning before the offensive player collides with them. Therein lies the issue. If the rule were changed to define what a block/charge we would have fewer players trying to slide in front of a driving offensive player.

I am sure you are thinking offensive players already have too many advantages, and you would be right. The NBA has made it a point to increase scoring to bring in more fans. However, this case is more than just a foul call. It can potentially be a safety issue. When the rule was implemented, players could not dunk from the free-throw line and jump over buildings.

Players are running faster, and jumping higher, which leads to players having a lot further to fall and hitting the court even harder. This is not a knee-jerk reaction, as I have watched defenders use this as a crutch for years instead of playing sound defense.

The NBA tried to simplify this call by creating a restricted area; if you were in that area, it was an automatic block call. That did take some of the guesswork out of the call, but now we have players moving even more because they are trying to get outside that area to draw a charge.

In no way am I saying an offensive player should be able to dislodge a defender from his spot so that they can get to the basket. Shaquille O’Neal would have averaged 40 points a game if that were the case. Charge calls should not be eliminated, but they should only be called if the offensive player runs over his primary assignment as a defender. Help defenders shouldn’t be rewarded for trying to take a charge on someone they aren’t defending. If it is any doubt, it should be an automatic block that would cut down on players sliding under airborne offensive players.

This issue didn’t just start with the Morant and Giannis injuries. It has been an issue for decades. We have seen many helpless offensive players crashing to the court because they are undercut while in the air. If the defender isn’t waiting on the offensive player under the basket, it should be an automatic block, but it isn’t the case right now. It is closer to 50/50 right now, and it is causing injuries that could have been avoided.

The one change that the NBA could make that would make a difference is making it a flagrant if the defender is sliding under a player already in the air. The NBA calls a flagrant foul for any strike above a player’s shoulders on a foul call. It doesn’t matter if it is accidental or not. They also call flagrant fouls if a defender slides under a jump shooter. Maybe we should start calling flagrant for defenders sliding under players in the air at the basket, which is more dangerous than a defender not giving a shooter space to land. That would also deter defenders from sliding under driving players.

Morant and Antetokounmpo’s injuries will not be the last unless the NBA makes some changes and soon to the block/charge call.