Paying for Charges

The Los Angeles Lakers have never been known as a team that takes offensive charges. They are trying to change that. Last series, Phil Jackson called his big men "thin-chested" as a way of goading them into standing strong and taking a hit, and the team has been offering financial incentive -- $50 per charge.

"To motivate us in a way to take charges and getting away with it," explained Sasha Vujacic.

Assistant coach Frank Hamblin, who monitors the fines and payouts, said the team has been rewarding players for charges since late last season and the competition has intensified in the playoffs, although he admitted that "very few guys are getting charge money."

"Luke got one the other night; it was kind of shaky but we gave it to him anyway," Hamblen said. "Fish is our best charge-taker so far."

The charge-taking competition, however, has yet to involve Ron Artest, who said he learned from growing up on the New York playgrounds, that when you take a charge, fall and then call an offensive foul, well, bad things -- like serious bodily harm -- can happen.

"I don't even know how to take a charge," he said. "To get the charge you have to fall. I'd rather not fall. You call an offensive foul, possibly be a fight. That's just how we grew up playing basketball."

I think this article sums it up pretty well. The Lakers have to try and pay their guys extra to take charges. I think the Celtics are a better team at almost every position, but throw that out and ask yourself which team would you rather bet your life on, the team that is playing for each other and takes pride in being a cohesive defensive unit or the team that has to pay their players extra to take charges? Just saying... C's in 6.

The other bone I have to pick with the Lakers, is who thought of this $50 for a charge horseshit? Even the worst of these guys (Yeah Scal we are looking at you) make tens of thousands of dollars each game and many of them are making hundreds of thousands of dollars a game, and that does not even count endorsements. Did James Naesmith come up with this fine back in 1892? The Lake show might want to think about adjusting it if they want it to have any impact... otherwise it doesn't even hold a candle to Lamar's daily candy budget. I mean it would be like offering me a penny to take out the trash... yeah it's something I should probably do anyway, but that penny ain't making me any more likely to do it. Good riddance, not sure I can find even one redeeming quality about this franchise, besides the fact that they make a great villian for the Celts to crush.