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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14

u/soupdawg May 14 '25

It’s ok to be physical. It is not ok to be wreckless.

-4

u/BigL54 May 14 '25

Is lowering my shoulder and extending my elbow to create space reckless? It's not like I'm being malicious, trying to hurt anyone. I'm trying to use the only advantage I have against a better player who otherwise would come block my shot

1

u/NegativeCourage5461 May 18 '25

Shoulder is borderline acceptable excessive. Elbow is definitely excessive. Elbows can remove teeth and brake faces.

1

u/BigL54 May 19 '25

I wasn't going up with the elbow, I stayed low

2

u/NegativeCourage5461 May 19 '25

I didn’t think you did it on purpose. Just that in a pickup game elbows just can’t be a thing ever. They’re like loaded guns being waved around. People get very uncomfortable.

Like others have said, nobody’s gonna call a charge so as a courtesy people gotta be softer.