You're the new guy, play by their rules. It's a pick-up game and if you're the only one playing like this, you've answered your own question.
Oh, and let me point out one more thing. With the bitching some of these guys do... I find it funny that they absolutely don't care about charging. I am one of the smaller guys out there, at 5'10. Unfortunately I'm taken down into the post a lot. I hold my own, but I am down low more often than I want to be. If someone comes driving to the hoop I will get my feet in place and they will just run straight into me. Over and over and over. Sure, they're 6'3 and can do it pretty easily and still get off a shot. But jesus christ they literally run right into my stationary body and think its fine. I don't say shit, but I find it interesting that I can't hustle, pressure and dive for loose balls but they can just truck me if they are driving to the hoop.
Eh, some disappointing responses. As a short guy a big aspect of my game is speed. If I allow easy movement down the court and play half court ball you can just throw the ball into the 6'5 guy and I don't stand a chance. It's like you are dumbing down the game making it easy for the slow guys and big guys. Basketball already favors them, why give them even more of an edge.
And just so we are clear other guys full court press at times too. I'm not the only one. Many guys have done it at one point or another, just not as often or aggressively as I do. Hell, I don't even do it THAT aggressively. Maybe 20% of the time. Sometimes we do reset at the other end. Other times we don't.
I guess the frustrating part of this is that a lot of you guys are basically saying don't play your best defense. Basketball becomes a 1-dimensional sport. Only offense, only half court. You take out a huge aspect of the game, which I think is retarded personally.
Again, you're the new guy and these guys have been playing together for years. It's a recreational pick-up game also. Maybe, they'll ask you not to play anymore and that will put an end to it. Why not just pick them up at half-court? Or find another group where the folks play the way you want it to be like?
Because my team praises me for my play. A lot of people do. It doesn't seem to be discouraged by everyone. Just a couple of people who seem to not like me for whatever reason. Lazy players honestly and punks. And because its dumbing down my game and making it easier on them. Why not play to my strengths instead of yours?
Who have been playing with this group for years. Again, don't be surprised if one of them tells your friend not to invite you anymore. Why don't you just not press those guys if they're going to bitch?
Sounds like you should find a league to play in to take advantage of your strengths.
Who have been playing with this group for years. Again, don't be surprised if one of them tells your friend not to invite you anymore. Why don't you just not press those guys if they're going to bitch?
Sounds like you should find a league to play in to take advantage of your strengths.
So just because someone bitches about me not being lazy means I need to go easy on them? That's freaking retarded, imo. As long as I'm not doing anything wrong, I think they just need to stfu and play basketball. That'd be like if they bitched if I could hit every shot from half court and my team just kicked it out to me and I got easy baskets. I'm not going to stop making shots just because they are bitching.
You don't get it. Do whatever you want, if you get asked not to play with them anymore, don't cry about it here.
Your team is winning and the other team has a bunch of older dudes? Lay off a little, don't full court press and just defend their shots. The other team is a bunch of younger guys and they are ahead (or the game is very close)? Go for it.
There is one guy that comes to mind that really pisses me off. He's a heavier set guy, who thinks he's really good. Whenever I play against him he makes snide remarks. He doesn't talk shit, that would be fine. He says shit under his breath. I honestly don't think he likes the short white boy playing hard against him. He's much heavier than I, so he usually takes me down to the post. Pushes the hell out of me, bumping into me. He said to me one time when I someone had me switch off to guard him "Oh, you made a mistake doing that boy" I was like... really? Boy? The tone he said it in was bullshit, but I let it go. He dribbles high and moves slow. He thinks he's awesome though. When he is bringing the ball up court I like to press him a bit. He's easy to get to the ball with because of the way he plays. But then he's one of those guys that gets pissed that I press. He's happy just playing half court, sitting at the arc shooting the ball up and nobody playing defense on him.
So just because someone bitches about me not being lazy means I need to go easy on them? That's freaking retarded, imo. As long as I'm not doing anything wrong, I think they just need to stfu and play basketball. That'd be like if they bitched if I could hit every shot from half court and my team just kicked it out to me and I got easy baskets. I'm not going to stop making shots just because they are bitching.
You have to adjust your play to what the common denominator is. You can't be running around playing super-tight aggressive defense (full court press etc) if it is a casual, relaxed game for everyone else.
You can hustle without being aggressive or an ass. You just need to let the gameplay dictate how you are "expected" to play. There are casual church-ball games, or aggressive hustle games played on the blacktops of downtown.
As far as I'm concerned, talking shit is apart of sports. I play to win. If they don't like it, play harder.
That said, maybe you should find a more competitive game that suits your style better.