Chris Kaman Needs to Take a Charge

by Regulan on May 28, 2010 8:02 PM PDT

With all of this off-season talk, I wanted to touch on something I noticed during the regular season. Chris Kaman never takes a damn charge. Never. Well, he did take four, but when your starting center only takes four it's safe to call it statistically irrelevant. Bobby Brown had four and Mardy Collins had five in their limited play. Heck, even Steve Novak took more charges than Kaman with six. Baron Davis lead the team with 19, and Craig Smith was a close second with 16. By the way, the league average is nine.

Out of all the starting centers in the league, Kaman is tied for second with the lowest amount. Andrew Bynum also had four and Dwight Howard had three. Considering Howard won Defensive Player of the Year, it's safe to not blame him, because he can just block a shot. I don't know what's up with Bynum. Nick Collison, the backup for Oklahoma, led the league with 57.

Will Kaman learn to take a charge? Will he practice getting run over with his buddies in his Michigan gym? He plays with very large weapons, so I can't be convinced he is scared of getting knocked down.

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he is too slow in rotation

it’s part of the reason why he is on so many posters, it’s because he rotates slow

by bacek on May 28, 2010 8:06 PM PDT reply actions

That's why i wanted to trade him

But on clip nation thats like saying you have a bomb at the airport. I think he doesnt try hard enough on the defensive end. He’s more worried with scoring and shooting stuff in the off season. I was also quite sad when i found out everybody under contract was working out except Kaman. I wish he would be the player that i said was going to be top 2 in the western conference and top 4 overall. It’s just not happening it’s like he doesnt like contact like pau gasol. Where did you get those numbers from by the way regulan. And yes bacek he doesnt rotate fast enough or at all. But on the offensive side he always tries to get the postion to score wish he would focus on defense to

by clip shot on May 28, 2010 9:42 PM PDT reply actions

I'm not asking for a trade

I just want the Kaveman to play some better D

http://lasportsops.tumblr.com/

by Regulan on May 28, 2010 10:21 PM PDT up reply actions

No one said he's not working out

just that he’s not in LA working out. He spent a boatload of money building a nice indoor basketball court in Michigan (where is is from).

A lot of Centers rarely take charges. Part of it is they don’t get the call if its a smaller player and also they are big so they should try to block the shot instead.

FA in 2010.

by ClipperChuck on May 28, 2010 11:05 PM PDT up reply actions

Yeah most centers don't draw charges

and I would imagine it would be hazardous for him to be constantly falling down, and even if he attempted to draw a charge the refs would probably just call a block because they would think he just flopped or exaggerated the impact.

LeBron or Bust !!!!

by bestclipfan on May 28, 2010 11:14 PM PDT up reply actions

tiring subject

Kaman did work out, just not in LA. Of anyone on the team he actually improved the most from the prior season. He, became Kaman 2.0 once again. His pick and roll play with Baron became the bread n butter play and was nearly automatic. The team was in playoff contention up until the point where they lost all those games as soon as he went down. Does he have flaws?….Yes. Does that mean you trade a very productive player?….No. Only for the right pieces.

So many want Kaman out, but the truth is it was the coaching staff that placed the burden of #1 option onto him. He’s not a #1 option. He’s a #3, at best. He’s a great #3 option. Why trade one of the few true centers in the league that can score inside and out and is a decent defender? It doesn’t make sense.

by hip2clip on May 29, 2010 10:32 AM PDT up reply actions

The pick and pop also became very easy for teams to read and the Clips went to it way too much...

by NBAFAN8 on May 29, 2010 9:23 PM PDT up reply actions

When is a pick and pop not easy to read? It’s used because it’s affective, but I agree with you, the Clips used it way too much. But, again, this is a coaching issue, not a Kaman issue.

by hip2clip on May 30, 2010 10:47 AM PDT up reply actions

i wonder how many charges derek fishers floppy cock took

"Fresh out the airport/ Fresh out the chair with the clippers/ Like Sean Livin' thinking, hmm/ I'm trying to get it like Sean get it" - Wale "Beautiful Bliss"

by T_Silk on May 28, 2010 11:22 PM PDT reply actions

collison was 99th in the league in blocks per game with .64 bpg...

..even less than Rasual Butler’s .83 bpg. blockers are usually going up with the man they are defending in an attempt to block or deter the shot. Collison is not a blocker, so he takes his defensive game to the ground. That’s why you have guards and wing players taking many charges.

by Takebb909 on May 29, 2010 12:44 AM PDT reply actions

Centers dont take charges..

taking a charge is more of a wing or guard defensive play.. a center is soppose to defend the basket by fouling to prevent baskets or by blocking shots, preferably the latter .. I bet Kaman fouled a lot.. So your problem with Kaman should really be: Chris Kamn needs to BLOCK more shots..

by clippers101 on May 29, 2010 11:06 AM PDT reply actions

There is a video that I think explains this very well...

check it out at You will find particularly pertinent information at around 1:08 and 4:03. In short, a true pimp does not take charges, but rather “charges it all” to a bitch, fo sho.

Yay yay.

by KamanHomie on May 29, 2010 1:52 PM PDT reply actions

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7q8zcdjvshQ

Oops, I don’t understand how to post links, so yeah there’s the address…

Yay yay.

by KamanHomie on May 29, 2010 1:53 PM PDT up reply actions

Centers in the US aren't really taught to take charges...euro bigs tend to be better at this

Vlade Divac was the king at selling it….

by banandy on May 29, 2010 2:21 PM PDT reply actions

So you want a Vlade that spends more time on his back than LeBrons mom?

by sqrebck on May 29, 2010 5:44 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions

no, would rather have a shot blocker like Camby...

by banandy on May 30, 2010 4:50 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions

Vlade was a shot blocker

And how many charges did Camby take? When will a Center be faster than the 4 other players on the court to set up a charge?

by sqrebck on May 31, 2010 8:08 AM PDT up reply actions

Actually, I think Camby was decent at taking a charge.

And yeah, Vlade could block some shots, but he definitely knew how to take a charge.

by banandy on May 31, 2010 3:34 PM PDT up reply actions

The Master of Flop.

I was a fan of Vlade on the Kings though.

by Lawler 4ever on May 31, 2010 7:24 PM PDT up reply actions

My point is

every starting center has a bunch more charges than Kaman. He should at least work to improve his defense in some way.

http://lasportsops.tumblr.com/

by Regulan on May 29, 2010 4:24 PM PDT reply actions

Trade Kaman

for a top pick. Then have two top picks.

by wilriv21 on May 29, 2010 4:55 PM PDT reply actions

This would be the draft to trade Kaman, but who would take over the production Kaman provides? As goofy as Kaman is he is a top 10 center in this league in a lot of categories. Don’t think you will get equal value with a pick.

by sqrebck on May 29, 2010 5:48 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions

It's funny how people are saying Kaman is easily a top 5 center in this league and thats why we shouldn't look to trade him.

He’s a top 5 center because teams have moved on from centers. Teams don’t need “true” centers to win games anymore. This isn’t the 90’s where back-to-the-basket centers are the keys to winning. Its a league now where athleticism and perimeter players dominate. Centers today should just be used to do the dirty work and nothing more, and Kaman isn’t the type of player that does that. The players that teams dump it down into the post to are usually power forwards because they are more agile and athletic, which is great because we have BG.

Because really, Shaq “a back to the basket player” goes to the Suns, then they get worse. He leaves, they get better. He goes to the Cavs, they get worse. The Lakers use Odom instead of Bynum during critical minutes. The Magic sweep the Bobcats while Dwight Howard sits on the bench. This is not a centers league anymore.

by baron_davis needs a fro on May 29, 2010 9:31 PM PDT reply actions

It's only a non-centers league because there are no centers

by Takebb909 on May 30, 2010 12:33 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions

wow.....alot of flaws that need to be pointed out. shaq going to the suns was management's decision, not the coach. Thank you steve kerr. You cant fault Terry Porter for only dealing the hand he was dealt with

But you can fault him for not being the best coach. suns only got better because they went back to the only style those players in that suns team know. Nash, barbosa, stoudemire…. etc and stuck a bunch of new players who can hang with their system. Cavs did not get worse. Defensively, they got better and i think shaq was the missing piece to guarding dwight howard and kendrick perkins come playoff time. Just like ron artest is the missing piece to the lakers playing “soft” defense and taking on the big names like pierce and lebron come playoff time. Cavs just got outcoached by the celtics staff. Simple as that. Lakers use odom like they did 2 years ago because bynum is really hurting. He’s playing with a gap in between his kneecap. He will def be under the knife in the off-season. So, instead of playing the kid 35+ minutes and possibly ruining his career by taking a chance out there with his knee or see his value go down, they have decided to sit him and rest. Odom on that team is a fantastic 6th man and that bench has gone cold lately so i can alomost guarantee phil jackson would rather have bynum starting at center and odom coming off the bench. Not b/c he’s a bynum is a better player but bc it’s in the team’s best interest.

"Put the icing on the cake ladies and gentlemen" - Ralph Lawler vs. The Grizzlies

by In GrIfFin We TrUsT on May 30, 2010 12:43 PM PDT up reply actions

i forgot to mention lakers brought in ron artest also so defensively, there isnt so much riding on kobe bryant.

Taking on the team’s best player defensively and being the closer as well day in & day out can take a toll on a player’s body as time goes on. I know kobe bryant thrives on challenges and where people doubt him the most but he’s over 30 now and not fresh out of high school. He needs help.

"Put the icing on the cake ladies and gentlemen" - Ralph Lawler vs. The Grizzlies

by In GrIfFin We TrUsT on May 30, 2010 12:47 PM PDT up reply actions

There are no centers in this league and b/c the times have changed, doesnt mean a successful shaq/kaman type player cannot be on a championship winning team.

As time goes on, hopefully there will be more “true” centers but as of right now, it’s a dying breed. It’s all about the right pieces and the right coach for those pieces. Perfect example. Doc Rivers, Phil Jackson and Greg Pops. There’s a reason why they keep going to the finals. Sure, they have outstanding teams but so did the cavs and the dallas mavericks this year and look wat happened to them…….

"Put the icing on the cake ladies and gentlemen" - Ralph Lawler vs. The Grizzlies

by In GrIfFin We TrUsT on May 30, 2010 12:54 PM PDT up reply actions

Sure and thats why 3 out of the last 4 teams in the playoffs have legitimate centers..

Bynum/Gasol, Dwight Howard, K. Perkins… The Lakers are dominating b/c of their hieght. Just b/c theres not too many good centers in the league doesnt mean they’re not effective. Kaman will make B. Griffins transition to the NBA much easier.

by clippers101 on May 30, 2010 9:53 PM PDT up reply actions

The "back to the basket old-school" center is the kind of center that doesn't work anymore in the NBA.

Perkins is one of those “do the dirty work” kind of centers. Howard is on another level above Kaman considering he is a defensive manbeast. And Bynum doesn’t do shit it in the playoffs, which is why they have Odom and Gasol (a pf) always in the game instead during the important minutes. I would prefer a center that fully commits to defense and doesn’t demand touches on offense, but gets his points by hustiling for offensive rebounds and finishes around the basket strong when the ball is dished down to him under the basket. As of now, thats not Kaman.

by baron_davis needs a fro on May 30, 2010 10:08 PM PDT up reply actions

Again, thats where your wrong bdiddy_needs_a_fro. In the final crucial moments of the game, you want bynum and gasol together. Like Clippers101 mentioned,

their height together does damage to teams that cannot match up. Teams can only fathom having 2 big men as talented as Gasol & Bynum. Notice even we tryed the kaman/camby combo to match up with the lakers and look where that’s at now. If odom was a better player than bynum, he wouldnt of been chosen as the 6th man in the off-season by PHIL JACKSON. The whole debate 2 years ago was if odom was gonna take the 6th man role or not. Let’s say odom didnt sign back with the lakers and signed with miami, he would of been a starter. No doubt in my mind. Odom can start on a ton of other teams around the league but he fits best as a 6th man with the lakers. That shows you how much talent they have.

So, your only comparing what you been seeing the last couple of weeks, if not months. Lakers want to start with bynum and want to end the game with bynum. When bynum is healthy, he tears up chris kaman and so many other players. There was a game last season where he had 4 blocks alone on chris. Then when deandre jordan dropped 20 points with like 10 dunks, bynum got the better of him and dropped 40 in the same game. Bynum isn’t a bust of a player nor does he suck, the poor fella just happens to get injured. Call it injury prone or not but he’s been dealt a bad hand and he’s just gotta suck it up and deal with it. In my opinion, you need a legitimate center in the league. You say you cant win with legtimate centers, let’s look at the all the world champions in the past decade.

1999-2000 – Lakers / Shaq
2000-2001 – Lakers / Shaq
2001-2002 – Lakers / Shaq
2002-2003 – Spurs / Duncan
2003-2004 – PIstons / Wallace
2004-2005 – Spurs / Duncan
2005-2006 – Heat / Shaq
2006-2007 – Spurs / Duncan
2007-2008 – Celtics / Perkins
2008-2009 – Lakers / Bynum
2009-2010 – Lakers/Celics? Bynum/Gasol/Perkins? Gasol isnt a “true” center IMO but im curious how phil will use bynum despite his injury. He’s gonna need him hough. Odom just aint gonna cut it.

I will say this though, duncan is supposed to be a PF but man, can he play the center position and hold his on very well.

Not once did i see a stoudemire or a chris bosh type player. Those players can only get you so far. Thats why gentry started lopez a couple of times to start amare at his original position which is PF and lopez is a true C.

"Put the icing on the cake ladies and gentlemen" - Ralph Lawler vs. The Grizzlies

by In GrIfFin We TrUsT on May 31, 2010 8:44 AM PDT up reply actions

Bynum rarely played in the late minutes of the game

even during the regular season. He’s a good shot blocker but his defense needs work. He’s usually late on his rotation or commits dumb fouls and doesn’t have the trust of Phil Jackson for the most part. Healthy or not Odom usually plays the crucial minutes of a close game.

FA in 2010.

by ClipperChuck on May 31, 2010 1:27 PM PDT up reply actions

IMHO, jackson would rather have bynum in the final mintues instead of odom.

I just think bynum has been struggling lately (like you mentioned) but odom has been known to do some strange stuff as well in crucial minutes and piss off phil jackson. bynum has def. been getting better in his post game but i feel sorry for him and always seems to get injured and play lackluster minutes in the playoffs.

"Put the icing on the cake ladies and gentlemen" - Ralph Lawler vs. The Grizzlies

by In GrIfFin We TrUsT on May 31, 2010 6:53 PM PDT up reply actions

I hardly feel sorry for him

he’s a idiot. He goes to the playboy mansion when he should be in rehab. He overlooks his opponents (can’t wait to play the Celtics in the Finals… really the series was only 2-0 at that point), has a very low tolerance for pain and he’s disliked by many of his teammates.

And the Lakers have always played Odom more than Bynum in the late stages of the game. If Bynum was the better player/option then Jackson would use him plain and simple. He doesn’t, that means he trusts Odom more than Bynum.

FA in 2010.

by ClipperChuck on May 31, 2010 9:30 PM PDT up reply actions

He uses odom as of now. I wanna see a healthy bynum (if that will ever happen)

next year and see which way phil jackson goes. I still think he needs odom on the bench for give the bench a boost and pick up the slack for the sorry performance they put on. Bynum just doesnt do it for them on the bench. I think it hurts his confidence but he’s got to live with it till he heals up. If there both healthy and odom still plays the crucial minutes next year, then i’ll give you mad props. I dont normally give people props. Until then, im sticking to my side. Were seeing alot of odom cuz bynum has been hurt. Im not just talking about the playoffs but the whole season as well. I dont think he ever healed 100% this year. Hopefully, he gets healthy if your a laker fan. I know you and i absolutely dont care where his career takes him, i just know how things are behind the scenes of the nba and playing/coaching basketball, i got a soft spot for players who get injured or who are journeymen.

"Put the icing on the cake ladies and gentlemen" - Ralph Lawler vs. The Grizzlies

by In GrIfFin We TrUsT on Jun 1, 2010 10:16 AM PDT up reply actions

Kaman would be better defensively

if he’s not the first option. His stamina can’t handle putting his full effort on defense as well as offense. One of Kaman’s main problems has always been his stamina. I guarantee you that if he becomes the third option, you’ll see him give more effort defensively.

"This kid is the best new talent in the league right now, and I don't care who else you mention." -Suns Coach, Alvin Gentry, on Clippers rookie sensation, Eric Gordon.

by cliptakular on May 30, 2010 3:43 AM PDT reply actions

I just want Kaman to become a more energetic defensive player.

But he always seems lazy and disinterested. If he actually becomes more committed to defense this season now that Camby’s gone (although maybe Griffin can be just like Camby on D), then we can move forward with him.

by baron_davis needs a fro on May 30, 2010 5:23 PM PDT up reply actions

he isn't lazy

slow does not equal lazy.

“Damn that Yao Ming isn’t trying at all on the fast break!”

by bacek on May 30, 2010 5:58 PM PDT up reply actions

Camby's D has always been overrated.

He drops back on screens, leaves his man open for the weak-side block, and is a horrible post defender. For the most part, Kaman is better than Camby in all these areas, but he should be even better. Hopefully he can improve in this area. Camby’s rebounding and surprisingly good passing on offense is what we really missed after he was traded. Hopefully Griffin can fill in some here and Kaman will be less depended on for offense.

by hip2clip on May 30, 2010 6:09 PM PDT up reply actions

No, he's lazy. As in not rotating when a man gets beat or letting his man get multiple offensive rebounds.

And Camby’s D is overrated, but he hustled on D, especially for rebounds. But I’m just glad Blake is pretty much Camby on defense, only a better all around defender, which is good since he can cover for Kaman at times.

by baron_davis needs a fro on May 30, 2010 7:51 PM PDT reply actions