OT: Pickup Basketball

[JackB1]

I've been playing a lot of pickup basketball lately at my local LA Fitness and had a question. What is the generally accepted way to play low post defense without fouling? When someone is backing you down, how do you keep from getting backed down? Can you use your arms or must you use only your body? Can you use any hands to push away? I know the official NBA rules are sometimes different than "playground" rules and have been out of this for a bit.

I was surprised at the level of play at my local gym. Some of these guys have unbelievable skills. Problem is the play some times gets a little rough and there is lots of arguing over fouls.

[JOZ]

"Problem is the play some times gets a little rough and there is lots of arguing over fouls."


Shocking.


This is the exact reason I quit a long, long time ago. You are right, some of them usually do have skills. It's too bad most of the time their egos far exceed their skills.

[WillHunting]

Hack a Shaq baby.

[Kruza]

Playing low post defense is mostly about lower body strength and body weight. You can lower your center of gravity to try to regain some leverage to keep the guy from pushing you under the basket. But if the guy who's backing you down is significantly stronger in the lower body and/or weighs a lot more, doing these things won't matter all that much. Plus "getting low" allows him to shoot over you easier, and your anticipation on when he's ready to put up a shot will really have to be on point if you wish to challenge the shot. Try to "get tall" and put hands up straight in the air just before he shoots.

Can't use hands to push away. Only a forearm bar. Beware of the guy trying spin off your forearm to get around you, though. If you want to give him a little room to maneuver toward a side, make sure to not give up the short side (shorter path to the hoop). And don't allow him to throw out that "chicken wing" around your hip to clear your shoulder because once his shoulder gets around yours, you've lost position.

Kruza

[JackB1]

Playing low post defense is mostly about lower body strength and body weight. You can lower your center of gravity to try to regain some leverage to keep the guy from pushing you under the basket. But if the guy who's backing you down is significantly stronger in the lower body and/or weighs a lot more, doing these things won't matter all that much. Plus "getting low" allows him to shoot over you easier, and your anticipation on when he's ready to put up a shot will really have to be on point if you wish to challenge the shot. Try to "get tall" and put hands up straight in the air just before he shoots.

Can't use hands to push away. Only a forearm bar. Beware of the guy trying spin off your forearm to get around you, though. If you want to give him a little room to maneuver toward a side, make sure to not give up the short side (shorter path to the hoop). And don't allow him to throw out that "chicken wing" around your hip to clear your shoulder because once his shoulder gets around yours, you've lost position.

Kruza

Good tips Kruza.....there is a truly fascinating mini sub-culture thing that goes on at these pickup games. I, for one...am just trying to have fun and not get hurt, which is tough sometimes. I went up for a rebound last night and got a hard elbow to my elbow, which I later had to ice to prevent swelling. But, for the most part, you can dictate how hard/rough you choose to play the game and most guys will reciprocate in the same manner.

[pk500]

Jack:

Just play hockey instead. You can lay out guys without conscience.

You might go to the box for two minutes and feel shame, but oh, well.

Take care,
PK

[rubba19]

You need to find a new group of guys, Jack.

JOZ is right. Way too much ego to match the skill set.

Don't they have an over 35 league?

[fanatic]

Were the guys anything like this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgZ-KQKrzZ0

[macsomjrr]

Were the guys anything like this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgZ-KQKrzZ0

My fave: "its the war, I just can't stop thinking about the war..."

[ProvoAnC]

When someone is backing you down, how do you keep from getting backed down?

workout

[fanatic]

Were the guys anything like this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgZ-KQKrzZ0

My fave: "its the war, I just can't stop thinking about the war..."

[JackB1]

Were the guys anything like this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgZ-KQKrzZ0

I just saw that. Funny stuff and very true.
I hate all the arguing over fouls. If you can't agree,
just "do or die" a shot and move on.

[Airdog]

Jack:

Just play hockey instead. You can lay out guys without conscience.

You might go to the box for two minutes and feel shame, but oh, well.

I just started playing men's league hockey this year, and man are there ever some douchebags. I once blocked a shot in the shins and it basically half hit the shin and half hit the pad and so I was on the way to laying on the ice when the guy who took the shot decided to pound me in the chest with his hands, thus smoking my (helmeted) head off of the ice, and giving me whiplash like symptoms for a couple of weeks. And of course, it's a no hitting league.

The only penalty I've gotten this year is for retaliating from another guy blindsiding me by giving him a nice crosscheck to the lower back. He wouldn't turn around though... angering.

But I've learned through the years that any kind of sport involving men will invariably lead to arguing and other such madness over the dumbest things.

[Gangrel]

I play adult league hockey as well, and notice the same thing. There are always a few idiots that must take testosterone shots before every game. What's even better is that it's a work league, so the guy you might be cheap shotting on Saturday could be in a meeting with you on Monday!

Then again, I also play in a ball hockey league, and see even WORSE behaviour. One guy on our team fractured his orbital bone because some idiot threw a hard elbow into his face.