Every business has unwritten rules, like in the classic movie “A Few Good Men” when Jack Nicholson orders a code red, which doesn’t exist in any military manual.
The NBA is no different, although everybody carrying out not-in-the-book instructions can handle the truth about them.
Jason Kidd enlightened us to one of those unspoken guidelines in advance of the New York Knicks and Jalen Brunson visiting American Airlines Center on Thursday night.
The subject was taking charges. And Brunson and the Mavericks’ Tim Hardaway Jr. rank one-two in that statistical department.
But it’s what comes after the charge that Kidd had an interesting revelation about.
“For sure. When he gets a charge, you got to look at him to get the ball (on the next possession),” Kidd said. “One thought is if he is hurt, he’ll forget because he’s about to shoot it.”
For a sharpshooter like Hardaway, that’s a sound principle to build into a coach’s strategy.
The art of taking the charge is something that’s not for every NBA player. You have to be willing to take a hit, check all body parts after hitting the hardwood and then shake off the cobwebs because, in Hardaway’s case, at least, he’s going to get a shot attempt coming his way soon after absorbing the collision.
Again, not everyone is cut out to take a bunch of charges.
But Hardaway is. As is Brunson, the former Maverick who is expected to play his first game back at AAC since leaving Dallas in free agency in the summer of 2022. He missed the Dec. 27, 2022 game because of an injury.
“You got to be willing to take a hit,” said Mavericks’ assistant coach Darrell Armstrong, who at 6-foot, 170 pounds was one of the best charge-takers of all time. “You have to learn how to fall and you have to be able to do it over and over again, knowing that you’re not going to get every call.”
While the NBA has made the rules on charge-taking better in terms of making it less of a judgment call for referees, there’s still the element of risk. A blocking call usually results in two free throws (or a three-point play) for the offensive player and the person trying to take the charge still ends up flat on his back.
“It’s a big skill,” Kidd said. “Not a lot of people do it. And I think Timmy is one of the best at that.
“Sometimes, protecting the rim is taking a charge. Timmy’s done that. He’s sacrificed his body, understanding that it’s going to hurt a little bit. But understanding the importance of us getting that possession, so Timmy’s been big for us. He has to be No. 1.”
Well, he’s been neck and neck with Brunson pretty much the whole season.
Going into Thursday’s game, Brunson has taken 23 charges, Hardaway 20. Orlando’s Moritz Wagner is third at 18.
Hardaway has no problem sacrificing his body. When he was battling a sore back, he took one and hit the deck hard and admitted later that the play did his back no favors. But it was worth it to get possession of the ball.
“I have to lay my body on the line for my team,” he said. “Those charges (give) us extra possessions. It doesn’t show up on a stat sheet, but it does show up on the hustle plays when we watch film. That’s all that matters.”
And, of course, it has a residual benefit at the other end of the floor. That’s something of which Kidd is keenly aware.
So what goes through a player’s mind when he takes a charge?
“Two thoughts: coach better call a play for me after doing that (or) coach better not call a play for me right now because I’m trying to figure out what body part hurts,” Kidd said. “There’s a fine line of looking at the player after taking a charge to see if they’re OK. But Timmy’s always ready to shoot.”
And the fact that Brunson also has the “charge” gene is something that Kidd takes pride in. He coached Brunson in 2021-22 when the Mavericks made the Western Conference finals and Brunson sort of came of age.
But it’s not just Brunson’s 25.6 points and 6.4 assists per game this season that everybody’s focused on.
“And we’re talking about defense,” Kidd said. “We’re not even talking about offense. That’s great. We know as a group Timmy’s going to be there to take the charge. He’s been called for blocks, but his anticipation of being able to do that is big for us on the defensive end.
“It helps to lead to winning championships or winning basketball games and that’s what we’re in the business of doing.”
X: @ESefko
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