The worst pick up players.

[jfsolo]

Re: The worst pick up players.

What about the guy who yells "SHORT!" on every shot? Dude, if every shot feels short, get some extension on your shot lol

A couple of years before he became Shaq's free throw coach, Ed Palubinskas the free throw guru, who also paints gym floors, was redoing our gym floor at the high school where I teach, so he played with us a couple of times. He yelled "short" on almost every shot he took. 90% of the time he yelled short, it was nothing but net. Dude was like 50 then, so he didn't drive, or play D, or rebound, but he did not miss open shots, ever. He just kept yelling short, and swishing J's.

[Nathan_OS]

A couple of years before he became Shaq's free throw coach, Ed Palubinskas the free throw guru, who also paints gym floors, was redoing our gym floor at the high school where I teach, so he played with us a couple of times. He yelled "short" on almost every shot he took. 90% of the time he yelled short, it was nothing but net. Dude was like 50 then, so he didn't drive, or play D, or rebound, but he did not miss open shots, ever. He just kept yelling short, and swishing J's.

Them old dudes never miss .

[wwharton]

Re: The worst pick up players.

Yeah, we're still at different levels here in terms of strategy. You say offensive players will exploit players who jump and I'm saying offensive players will exploit players who refuse to jump. If I had to be real, I'd say we're both on the right track and there's just a time and a place for each. And to be clear, the extent of my basketball experience is not the playground and my strategies and ideas are not based off of how effective they may be against the lowest common denominator.

I know a bit about your basketball knowledge from previous conversations. That's why I'm ok with us hashing this out even though I think we're probably on pretty close to the same page... and also why I say you shouldn't look at this from a personal level. I'm discussing concepts, not criticizing how you say you play. This would probably be much clearer if we were on a court together describing things exactly, lol.

Before I let this go, I just have to verify this though: you are saying defenders should never jump to contest jumpshots? I don't want to be that guy but I have to ask, how do you explain the hundreds of players every night in every televised form of basketball who jump to contest shots nearly every possession down the floor? For starters, what's your take on the Battier video I posted? Again, I'm not saying whatever he does must be right, but what are your thoughts? On some plays, he's all up in a shooters face before they rise and he doesn't need to jump. On other occasions, against Rudy Gay and Tayshaun, he's clearly leaving his feet to contest.

Clips like that, and any basketball game on any level ever played ever, is why I think this is a mis-understanding between us. I said this earlier but I think it's worth re-iterating: when I say "jump" I'm most often not talking about an all-out, all bets are off, mega-leap where I'm trying to destroy a shot. Many times it features me barely rising off the floor. But it's still a jump as opposed to a grounded contest. This most often occurs as a person is shooting, not in anticipation of their shot.

No, I'm not saying never. I'm saying when you're in good defensive position to close out, there's rarely a reason to jump in pick up ball. I think Battier's a great example bc he may be the best fundamental defender I've personally seen. In the video, he's mirroring the ball on most if not all of those shots. He jumps a fraction after the offensive player jumps. If you're good enough to have that kind of timing (you personally may... I used to) and that's what you're describing, we're on the same page.

Most people can't... and don't. As soon as you pick the ball up they're airborne. Those are the ones I'll pump fake to draw contact. Battier isn't trying to block any of those shots... he'd have to jump earlier to do that. I see your point bc he is jumping, but yeah, I'm not describing that situation. The way he's playing there is no pump fake that can do anything bc the shooter's already in the air. You also have to be more aggressive against NBA level shooters. As good as his defense was, all of those shots could've gone in so if he stayed on the ground, as you said, we'd expect most of them to be good. In pick up ball, I don't want someone to think they're playing like Battier unless they actually can. Those are the guys I'm talking about getting exploited... and who I think it's fair to use a pump fake to get a foul.

Conversely, I can not play like Battier (especially with these old knees) and I doubt any of us run into any shooters in pick up games on the level of NBA players. So I close out and mirror the ball, only continuing that to the point of jumping if it's a fall away. That's usually more than enough for pick up ball. If it's not, I'll close out aggressively to try to force a drive and get the guy behind me to help.

I hope that makes more sense bc I do think we're pretty much on the same page... just got a discussion crossed between specific fundamental defense and general pick up basketball.

[VDusen04]

Re: The worst pick up players.

I hope that makes more sense bc I do think we're pretty much on the same page.

Ha, yep, we're there. I think it all makes sense now and for that, I am thankful.

[wwharton]

Re: The worst pick up players.

Ha, yep, we're there. I think it all makes sense now and for that, I am thankful.

lol, sorry man. Like I said, I think it would've been a much easier discussion if we were standing on a court together talking about it.

[cavsfan2]

Re: The worst pick up players.

The dude with a wife beater 10 sizes too small and is clearly on steroids

[The 24th Letter]

Man I played with a guy like that, and dude was literally boxing me out with one arm...it was so emasculating lol...

I mean I gave him the business when he was guarding me but I didn't even attempt to grab a board after a while...

[Gibbz]

Re: The worst pick up players.

Man I played with a guy like that, and dude was literally boxing me out with one arm...it was so emasculating lol...

I mean I gave him the business when he was guarding me but I didn't even attempt to grab a board after a while...

It happens, man. Length and vertical only go so far once somebody is that much thicker than you. On D I just try to keep a knee up under their base to keep 'em off-balance so they can't really get off the floor.

[Haval93]

Re: The worst pick up players.

I like to think I am pretty good. Hopefully going to be playing JC ball next year. I am a PG. Here are some of the players that I dislike playing with.

The players who think they are simply the best and think their NBA material.
The player who tries to be PG and losses the ball with a small bit of pressure.
The player who calls for the ball and misses wide open lay-ups.
The big man who can't play for **** and don't even know how to dribble playing PG.
The coach who always tries to criticize me.
The player who reaches in ever play and thinks he is playing good defense.
The player who hacks you and bitches when you call foul even though he calls a foul every time down the court.
The player that thinks he is an NBA three point shooter and takes 10 of these 3's in a game.

The most hated player for me recently is the one who go for your legs when you go up for a lay-up, rebound, block.

Couple of days ago, short guy on fastbreak and I am running for a chase-down block, I see he's ready to jump and I jump early to attempt the block and get up by the rim and he stops on the ground and doesn't jump and crouches down to hit my legs when I am in the air. Hard to explain but I was super pissed.

[VDusen04]

Re: The worst pick up players.

Couple of days ago, short guy on fastbreak and I am running for a chase-down block, I see he's ready to jump and I jump early to attempt the block and get up by the rim and he stops on the ground and doesn't jump and crouches down to hit my legs when I am in the air. Hard to explain but I was super pissed.

I definitely feel your pain because I've been there numerous times. However, in that precise situation, I can never fault the offensive player. He's making the right play. In those situations, somehow, some way, he knew I was trailing him hard, looking to send his layup attempt into the next county. That's the defender counting on a forthcoming shot and the offensive player being wise and providing a counter-measure by pump-faking. 99 times out of 100, a defender accidentally flipping over a jump-stopping, head-faking offensive player who the defender thought was going to shoot, is merely an honest accident. When it happens at our courts, no one ever emerges salty. Both sides know it was a complete accident with no ignorance to blame.

On the other hand, I don't have nearly as much tolerance for defenders who look to stop an attacking offensive player by submarining them (standing in the way and ducking/undercutting instead of contesting or taking a charge). The offensive player pump-faking to avoid a block is savvy to me. The defensive player undercutting an airborne player is ... not cool.

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: The worst pick up players.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/12/sp...r=3&ref=sports

Very good read that I'm sure alot of people that played pick up ball could relate to, especially if you've played in the City. It's about a guy who moved to NY from Florida and he explores the city thru pick up ball being played in the Parks in NY.

Article is 6 pages long but it's definitely worth the read, IMO.

[pw_1016]

Re: The worst pick up players.

The player who doesnt know how to rotate on defense and makes you look like a fool when you switch on his man after a pick and roll and your man scores.

The player who thinks just because you are 6'3 you have to play like Shaq and block every shot, never miss more than one shot on offense, and grab every rebound or they criticize you and think you suck.

The player who gets triple teamed and does a hundred crossovers and spins while you are ready in the corner for the easy shot, then when you call for the ball they fake it to you twenty times and get stolen

[BlueNGold]

Re: The worst pick up players.

The player who isn't very talented and just nonchalantly stands around, yet every loose ball and rebound goes directly to him.

[MavsManiac4Life]

Re: The worst pick up players.

Didn't know we had this thread. Way back, in March or so haha, I played against a"Ron Artest". This guy was a thug on a basketball court, elbows flying on every rebound,hacking everyone, and acting just like Ron if you wanna call a foul on him, which I'll usually take a hit, as long as its not crazy aggressive. But every thing this guy did was.

[BJNT]

Re: The worst pick up players.

What about the guy who yells "Jordan!" after every shot. Dude if your game was anything like M.J. you would either....

A. Be in the NBA not out here with us.

B. Be making darn near every shot instead of missing them.