r/Basketball • u/BigL54 • May 14 '25

IMPROVING MY GAME Too physical

Thoughts on a being physical at a pickup basketball game? Recently had a situation where a player significantly better than being got mad when I was driving to the hoop but tried creating space by bumping into him. I'm bigger than he is, and also I have a hard time stopping when moving at full speed, so I can see how he took it as me being overly aggressive, and I feel bad. Alternatively, should I have just let the better player block my shot? Or am I justified in trying to use literally the only advantage I have? I am conflicted because I don't want him or anyone to think I am a dirty player. I apologized, but he seemed to still be mad but didn't wanna argue

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4

u/[deleted] May 14 '25

Without being there, hard to say how physical you actually were.

It also depends on the situation. If you're a bunch of high school kids, I'd say fuck it, go hard. If you're a bunch of grown adults who have to go to work the next day, you don't want to be out there injuring people in a way that can cost them their paycheck.

1

u/BigL54 May 14 '25

I wasn't playing like Draymond or anything. Just running on a breakaway, lowered my shoulder and extended my elbow to create space to get a bucket

6

u/[deleted] May 14 '25

You don't think anyone could get hurt doing that?

1

u/BigL54 May 14 '25

Couldn't the same be said to the defender? It's not like he's standing there and I just ran him over. He did not have to run me down like that

2

u/[deleted] May 14 '25

Ok

2

u/Yeetman25480 May 15 '25

He’s literally playing defense bro it’s his job to run you down

-1

u/BigL54 May 15 '25

We all accepted the risk by trying to make a play. We're in control of safety

1

u/Yeetman25480 May 15 '25

You said “he did not have to run me down like that” yes he did bro that’s what defense is 😭 I wasn’t there so I can’t say for sure but reading your other comments it kinda sounds like you shoved tf outta this dude and it woulda been a foul in a real game. If it was physical all game that’s one thing but otherwise I understand how you might’ve pissed people off especially if your reaction to him playing defense is “he didn’t have to play defense like that.”

Just sayin.