In basketball, what does "physical" mean?

[KingSpeed]

It's going to be a very physical game, physical series. It's a very physical team. What does that mean, really? Fouling a lot? Fouling and getting away with it? Having Mohammed shove LeBron get ejected for it? Answer please.

 

[BigGameDamian]

It's going to be a very physical game, physical series. It's a very physical team. What does that mean, really? Fouling a lot? Fouling and getting away with it? Having Mohammed shove LeBron get ejected for it? Answer please.

Physical=Trash Talking.

 

[BigGameDamian]

[video=youtube;vWz9VN40nCA]

 

[WillG]

'Old School' hard nosed, tenacious and lots of contact.
Sadly no teams are 'Physical' these days - not anymore.
The refs don't let them play that way - not that the players would anyway.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

Today's terms -- if you don't flop you're playing physical.

 

[KingSpeed]

'Old School' hard nosed, tenacious and lots of contact.
Sadly no teams are 'Physical' these days - not anymore.
The refs don't let them play that way - not that the players would anyway.

What does hard-nosed mean? And lots of contact means lots of fouling and getting away with it, right? And how is that something to be proud of?

 

[e_blazer]

Think back on the Blazers' defense this season. Physical would pretty much be the opposite of that.

 

[Run BJM]

What does hard-nosed mean? And lots of contact means lots of fouling and getting away with it, right? And how is that something to be proud of?

Depends on how you look at fouling. I would argue that a lot of "fouls" that are called regularly in the regular season really shouldn't be fouls, but it would be pretty fugging difficult to play a whole 82 game season with the level of physicality and intensity of a playoff series. Especially as the NBA's gotten smaller, faster, and more skilled.

Once the playoffs start its like a whole new game from the regular season. Seems like in today's NBA most of the physicality is big men on big men, usually battling for post position and rebounds. I don't see a major difference in physicality among perimeter players or perimeter defense. I think the key is that generally playoff teams are better defensive and rebounding teams, and they start REALLY developing an intense focus on those two aspects of the game. The games get mucked up and slowed down and the ones who shut down the paint and outrebound the opposition are going to succeed more often than not. And that often has to do with how dedicated, intense, and big a team is.

That said, neither of the teams in the finals is particularly physical. But they do have other major advantages that are more difficult to come by. SA is loaded with incredibly smart players, some elite talent, and a ton of shooting. Miami is oozing elite talent and elite athleticism, plus they're coming out of a joke of a conference. IMO a somewhat/slightly less talented but more physical team can overcome a more talented, softer team. Also IMO, if the talent is pretty much equal the more physical team probably has the edge just because you have to think they're playing better defense and rebounding better.

 

[MARIS61]

Physical should mean hard picks, blocking out, clearing the boards, full court press, poking the ball loose, posting up on offense and dunking. All within the rules of the game.

 

[NOVoodoo]

Depends on how you look at fouling. I would argue that a lot of "fouls" that are called regularly in the regular season really shouldn't be fouls, but it would be pretty fugging difficult to play a whole 82 game season with the level of physicality and intensity of a playoff series. Especially as the NBA's gotten smaller, faster, and more skilled.

Once the playoffs start its like a whole new game from the regular season. Seems like in today's NBA most of the physicality is big men on big men, usually battling for post position and rebounds. I don't see a major difference in physicality among perimeter players or perimeter defense. I think the key is that generally playoff teams are better defensive and rebounding teams, and they start REALLY developing an intense focus on those two aspects of the game. The games get mucked up and slowed down and the ones who shut down the paint and outrebound the opposition are going to succeed more often than not. And that often has to do with how dedicated, intense, and big a team is.

Well said.

I think that if you need an example of "physical" basketball, just look at the Grizz/Clipps series. There was some flopping involved by Paul and Griffin, but at the end of the day, the series was decided in the post. It wasn't pretty... but there wasn't a lot of "Lob City" going on, and for every time the Clippers would make a run by knocking down outside shots, the Grizzlies would respond by slowing the game down, feeding the paint, controlling the boards, and controlling the game defensively.

Also, when there's a "physical series," the game's usually reffed differently, for right or wrong. What would have been considered a foul in, say the NY/IND series, was just a "play-on" in the MEM/LAC series. The Pendergraph/Cole ejection from tonight, for example, would have just been a common foul if we were dealing with a different series, or at least just a flagrant on Pendergraph.

Physical should mean hard picks, blocking out, clearing the boards, full court press, poking the ball loose, posting up on offense and dunking. All within the rules of the game.

Exactly... hard picks, battling on the glass, putting for a real effort defensively, playing inside-out...

I'm not sure I really understand the premise of the thread to be honest... shouldn't a "physical style of play" be obvious? Cliches are laden with colloquialisms, but don't we all know what they mean by now? What's next, a thread about a team or player "turning it up a notch?"

 

[OregonHuskerMan]

Physical is what the Bulls did to LeBron, x5. When you foul? You foul clean, but hard. Subtle jabs at players to make them feel you, know you are there. "Chippy" play, maybe doing the dirty work to get a rebound, set hard, solid, legal screens.

I think the best example of this is David West, if you took all the fouls he got called for, and didn't count them as fouls except for on egregious circumstances.

There is no way to play physical in the current NBA, too many quick whistles. Watch some Bill Laimbeer, Kevin McHale, Dennis Rodman. Thats physical.

 

[OregonHuskerMan]

Physical is what the Bulls did to LeBron, x5. When you foul? You foul clean, but hard. Subtle jabs at players to make them feel you, know you are there. "Chippy" play, maybe doing the dirty work to get a rebound, set hard, solid, legal screens.

I think the best example of this is David West, if you took all the fouls he got called for, and didn't count them as fouls except for on egregious circumstances.

There is no way to play physical in the current NBA, too many quick whistles. Watch some Bill Laimbeer, Kevin McHale, Dennis Rodman. Thats physical.

Speaking of Laimbeer, our coaches should command Meyers to watch video of him.

 

[jlprk]

Playing physical means, what the referees let your opponent do if you lose.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Speaking of Laimbeer, our coaches should command Meyers to watch video of him.

Speaking of Laimbeer, our GM should find a way to hire him to coach Meyers, if not the entire team.