Bogut the ridiculous charge drawing machine

[Ayt]

Of last years all defensive team, none of them are in the top 10 or the top 15... And only one is in the top 20. Marcus Camby is 19th.

That shows how overrated that stat is when applying it to defense. Drawing charges is something that role players usually do to increase their value. Is it a bad thing? No. But by no means do I think drawing charges is even close to as important as stealing the ball or blocking it.

Stealing the ball results in a turnover and usually a fast break while having a intimidating shot blocker in the middle stops the other team from taking the ball into the paint so frequently.

Taking charges also results in a turnover and drawing a foul on another player. But its bigger downfalls are 1. Trying to draw fouls usually gets the defensive player in foul trouble far more often than the offensive player. 2. Unlike blocking a shot it doesn't send any message that you will contest shots, it sends a message that you can foul on the ground.

I disagree. Just because the players on the ALL D teams don't do it, it doesn't mean its not valuable.

Scottie Pippen is one the best defenders in history and he was always one of the best at drawing a charge while he played.

Also, if you look at the lists for the last three years, there are some very good defensive players near the top. In 2005-06, you had Bell #1, Ben Wallace #6, Derek Fisher #8, and Battier #10. The next year you have Raja Bell #4, J. Oneal #7 and Battier #9. Then last year you have Fisher #1, O'Neal #7, and Battier just outside the top 10 at #11.

Just looking at the lists, there are some very good defenders in the top 20 every year. There are more good defenders than bad.

Being able to draw a charge is definitely a positive skill provided the guy is actually good at it and knows when to do it. I also think you are wrong that the psychological affect is a negative for the defender. It can drive players nuts to have a guy like Fisher or Bell constantly taking a charge, or putting themselves in position to take one.

[ReasonablySober]

Drawing a charge is a positive. I won't argue that. I wonder how the new rules will effect Bogut and others, but it's still a positive.

This is the point I agree on:

[quote="LukePliska"]while having a intimidating shot blocker in the middle stops the other team from taking the ball into the paint so frequently. [quote]

Wallace and the great shot blockers weren't just effective because they were skilled shot blockers, it was also because nobody wanted to enter the paint with them there.

[El Duderino]

I'm a hockey fan and they call diving penalties which is a flop in basketball. Because they call diving, it's not very common for players to dive/flop for a cheap penalty.

It's time the NBA follows suit. Granted, there will be arguments when a flop is called or not, but many foul calls are subjective.

[Newz]

I never said it wasn't a positive. In my post I said it was still valuable.

But if you want to use it as a measuring stick for defenders or as a way to determine if they are very good on that end of the floor... Then Mo Williams had 31, which was very close to being top 20 and far ahead of a lot of great defensive players.

The point being is that I think Bogut is a slightly above average defensive player. Last year he improved big time on taking charges and blocking shots. Yet I still think he needs a lot of improvement as a post defender because he is very weak in that department and I would still like to see him contest more shots rather than trying to take so many charges.

Next year with help from Skiles, a better defensive system and hopefully better defensive players (and effort) around him Bogut will take another step forwards as a defender.

He is certainly one of (probably the best) defensive player that we have on the team though and he is the least of our worries on that side of the ball.