Fans call for NBA to ban the charge after Ja Morant, Giannis Antetokounmpo injured
By Scott Rogust
Ja Morant of the Grizzlies and Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Bucks both got hurt on Sunday due to charges, and NBA fans are calling for the move to be banned.
The first day of the NBA playoffs was full of excitement, like the New York Knicks and Sacramento Kings both winning a playoff game against the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors, respectively.
On Sunday, there were some really good games on paper that included the top teams and top stars. Unfortunately, two notable stars were hurt in back-to-back games.
Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant suffered a right hand injury in Game 1 against the Los Angeles Lakers. Then in the following game, Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo was ruled out with a lower back contusion following a nasty fall on a dunk attempt.
There was one thing in common on both of those injuries — they both happened on charges. Let’s just say that some NBA fans wanted the charge banned after seeing two of the NBA’s best players leave due to injury.
NBA fans want the charge banned after Giannis Antetokounmpo, Ja Morant injuries
If the league can operate fast enough after Kawhi got injured in 2017 to turn undercutting into a flagrant foul the next season, the league can operate fast enough this off-season to ban the charge after 2 of its premier stars got injured in opening weekend of the playoffs.
— serb your enthusiasm 🇷🇸 (@markocantdunk) April 16, 2023
Need to have a conversation about the block/charge call pretty soon
— Tony Clements (@TonyCMKE) April 16, 2023
Joel Embiid, Ja Morant, and now Giannis have all recently taken the same dangerous fall pic.twitter.com/XT8tGZ7sxO
Ja Morant and Giannis have now both been hurt by defenders undercutting them trying to take a charge.
— JWills (@itsjwills) April 16, 2023
Most dangerous play in basketball.
Ban the charge, rotate over and try to play defense instead of just getting in the way. Being a traffic cone is not playing defense. pic.twitter.com/ZiRTS3tX6Y
— Mo Dakhil (@MoDakhil_NBA) April 16, 2023
rule change petition: eliminate the charge call
— Shea Serrano (@SheaSerrano) April 16, 2023
The sliding under guys after they jump to try and draw a charge is the stupidest and most dangerous fake-basketball play and it should be outlawed. Let’s allow more contact at the point of attack so defense isn’t impossible and get rid of intentional charge draws forever.
— NBA University (@NBA_University) April 16, 2023
Both instances saw Morant and Antetokounmpo about ready to leap in the air for a dunk or layup attempt, but a defender just stepping in front for the charge attempt beforehand. That resulted in Morant landing hard on his right hand in an attempt to break his fall, while Antetokounmpo fell right on his back.
Morant missed the rest of the fourth quarter, while Antetokounmpo was ruled out for the remainder of the game when injuring his back in the first quarter.
It is currently unknown if Antetokounmpo will miss any additional time. As for Morant, he said that his status for Game 2 against the Lakers is “in jeopardy,” and showed that he was unable to “undo a balled-up pair of socks,” per ESPN’s Tim MacMahon.
After just the second day of the playoffs, the NBA has seen Morant and Antetokounmpo go down with injuries that were a result of the charge. It will remain to bee seen if the league addresses this situation after the season.
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