NLSC Your source for basketball video games.

Welcome to this week’s edition of The Friday Five! The Friday Five is a feature that I post every Friday in which I give my thoughts on a topic that’s related to NBA Live, NBA 2K, and other basketball video games, as well as the real NBA, and other areas of interest to our community. The feature is presented as either a list of five items, or in the form of a Top 5 countdown. This week’s Five outlines five reasons that the online scene in NBA 2K is a mess.

This isn’t the first time that I’ve discussed problems with the online experience in NBA 2K, and while I’d prefer not to harp on issues or be repetitive in my content, it’s also important to point out problems. This is particularly important when certain issues remain unresolved for several years running, leading to increased frustration for everyone, and an aspect of basketball gaming that isn’t nearly as good as it could and should be. Having spent more time playing NBA 2K online recent years, I’ve grown dismayed and disenchanted with the experience due to several recurring problems.

Frankly, NBA 2K online is a mess. It’s kind of bewildering, actually. With the launch of the NBA 2K League, the online scene is obviously being pushed as a big part of the game, and yet it’s never been weaker or less inviting. That’s not to say that it can’t be any fun at all. I won’t pretend that I haven’t had enjoyable sessions here and there, or that NBA 2K online doesn’t have anything to offer; at least on paper. The good news is that there are solutions that would clean up the mess that is online play in NBA 2K. The bad news is that many of the problems are persistent legacy issues, so it remains to be seen if they’ll ever be properly addressed in future games.

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The NBA 2K21 gameplay blog for the Current Gen version has been posted, outlining what we can expect from this year’s release. A breakdown of the key points is as follows:

• Beluba reiterated the focus on striking a good balance between realism and fun, once again referring to turnovers on long passes as an example of what they want to avoid.
• Cover player Damian Lillard had several suggestions, including raising the maximum height for point guards in MyCAREER. It’s now 6’8″.
• The Pro Stick controls have changed: Hold down for a jumpshot, hold left or right for escape dribbles, hold up for signature size-ups, tap for quick 1-to-1 dribble moves, tap while holding Sprint for quick momentum dribbles.
• New signature size-ups have been added (for a total of 14 Street and 36 NBA animations), and moves are now more responsive and “chain-able”. Street moves are performed with a tap of the left trigger.
• When shooting with the Pro Stick, the Shot Meter is replaced by target aiming inspired by NBA 2K17’s mechanics. Instead of timing the release, you can use the whole animation to hit the target window. The same mechanics apply to layups, but this can be disabled. There are also new shot types, and over 40 new shot landings for Park.
• Block targeting has been improved, and some of the overpowered paint moves have been toned down. There are also signature defensive styles, and player movement has been refined for more responsiveness.
• The Badge system is basically the same as last year, though it’s been refined based on telemetry data from popular builds. Shot speed has been moved back to the Jump Shot Creator, with the Quick Draw Badge being removed entirely.

Check out the NBA 2K21 gameplay blog for the full scoop! A demo will be dropping on August 24th, though no further details are available as yet. What are your thoughts on these changes and additions? Sound off in the comments below, and join in the discussion here the Forum!

In today’s file additions for NBA 2K14, we’ve got a couple of face updates from Taco2K, RED MC TURK scripts by Mackubex, NBA Bubble courts by X, and a new version of Pep’s 4K Spalding ball. Download all of the releases at the links below!

Taco2K
Andrew Wiggins Face
Ky Bowman Face

Mackubex
No Signature Skills TURK Script by Mackubex
Apply RESTART Courts TURK Script by Mackubex

Bliss
NBA Orlando Bubble ‘Black Lives Matter’ Mod

Pepis
4K NBA Spalding Official Game Ball (Updated to v2.0)

Thanks to everyone who continues to contribute to our Downloads database! If you need help uploading files, be sure to check out this video tutorial. For more information about downloads, the modding community, and File Additions bulletins, please see this FAQ in our Wiki.

This is Wayback Wednesday, your midweek blast from the past! In this feature, we dig into the archives, look back at the history of basketball gaming, and indulge in some nostalgia. Check in every Wednesday for retrospectives and other features on older versions of NBA Live, NBA 2K, and old school basketball video games in general. You’ll also find old NLSC editorials re-published with added commentary, and other flashback content. This week, I’m taking a look back at yet more NBA players who became familiar faces in strange places, and those stints in video games.

Just when you thought I was done talking about familiar faces in strange places, here is part four in an ongoing series of Wayback Wednesday articles! Not all of these players are Hall of Famers or even perennial All-Stars, but they are nevertheless significant and recognisable, thereby qualifying as familiar faces. They’re also players that we grew accustomed to seeing play for one or two teams in particular, so the strange places they ended up in do make for a jarring sight, both in real life and on the virtual hardwood.

Once again, I’m looking at these familiar faces in strange places through the lens of basketball video games, in part because that’s obviously what we cover here at the NLSC, but also because it emphasises how games like NBA Live and NBA 2K in particular act as time capsules and interactive almanacs. From past champions and the glory days of the game’s brightest stars, to the forgotten and overlooked stints I’m recalling here, those memories come flooding back upon firing up old favourites. Let’s take a look back…way back…

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Today’s file additions for NBA 2K20 PC feature the latest NBA Bubble court updates by walkinmyway and jk31, current and future prospect player faces by LosJosh and MonkeyManJSV, and an updated fictional court for the Los Angeles Lakers by stern2k. Check out all of the latest NBA 2K20 file additions at the links below!

Thanks to everyone who continues to contribute to our Downloads database! If you need help uploading files, be sure to check out this video tutorial. For more information about downloads, the modding community, and File Additions bulletins, please see this FAQ in our Wiki.

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We’re at midcourt, and the ball is about to go up…it’s Monday Tip-Off! Start your week here at the NLSC with a feature that’s dedicated to opinions, commentary, and other fun stuff related to NBA Live, NBA 2K, and other basketball video games. This week, I’m tipping things off with some reflections on Anderson Murray.

Who is Anderson Murray? That is the title of today’s article, and it’s also a question that you’ll see popping up on Reddit and Operation Sports if you Google the name. The Anderson Murray in question is a player that appears in NBA 2K20, albeit only in MyCAREER. I feel confident in saying that thanks to basketball gamers, he’s ended up playing for every team in the league. Don’t look for him in the record books next to Chucky Brown, Joe Smith, and Jim Jackson, however. Don’t search for him over on Basketball Reference, either. You won’t find him listed there.

No doubt there are actually people in the world called Anderson Murray, but none of them are currently playing in the NBA. And yet, there he is on the roster of every team. It seems that everyone has a different story when it comes to Murray. For some NBA 2K20 gamers, he’s an annoyance; a player that’s guaranteed to turn in subpar performances and someone they can’t wait to be rid of. For other gamers, however, he’s a reliable teammate who’s frequently helpful in padding assist numbers. His number and jersey may vary, but there’s one constant. Gamers wonder who Anderson Murray is, and just what he’s doing appearing as our teammate in MyCAREER.

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Episode #335 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! Derek (aka Dee4Three) and I are your hosts for this week’s show.

The NBA 2K21 Current Gen trailer has given us something to really sink our teeth into this week. We share our thoughts on what we saw, and touch on some of the community reactions. A glimpse of the new Shot Meter and recent comments by Beluba also inspire us to once again discuss shooting mechanics. Meanwhile, remarks by 2K’s CEO have continued to stir up controversy regarding the Next Gen price increase. We have a few things to say on the matter, along with our subsequent expectations for Next Gen. With the NBA Live 16 servers shutting down, we also encourage everyone to wrap up their business ASAP, and take some time to reflect on the game.

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:47:16 — 73.7MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify

What’s your take on this week’s conversation? Sound off in the comments section below, or join in the discussion here in the Forum! Additionally, feel free to hit us up with any feedback on the episode, as well as suggestions for topics that you’d like to hear us discuss in future episodes. For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. The show also comes out on our YouTube channel, so be sure to subscribe for future episodes and other video content.

The NBA Live 16 servers will be shutting down on October 19th 2020 at 11 AM EST, as per a new in-game notification. Upon the shutdown, all online content such as Ultimate Team, Head 2 Head, and LIVE Pro-Am will no longer be available.

As usual, my advice would be to wrap up any unfinished business between now and the shutdown. This includes acquiring Trophies/Achievements that require online connectivity, LUT challenges, and if you’re a content creator, getting video and screenshots of features that will soon be unavailable.

EA Sports has been shutting down the servers for older NBA Live games over the past twelve months, as the number of gamers still playing them has continued to dwindle. As it stands, NBA Live 14, NBA Live 15, and now NBA Live 16 will have all had online support for over five years by the time their servers are shutdown. This is far longer than usual, and it remains to be seen if NBA Live 18 and NBA Live 19 will receive similar service. The cancellation of NBA Live 20 and NBA Live 21 may indeed result in the extension of their online support.

Thanks to Pavel for the heads up on the impending shutdown of the NBA Live 16 servers! Once again, be sure to complete any unfinished business ASAP, as October is only a couple of months away.

A new version (V78) of U R Basketball by skoadam and slimm44 is now available! This is the big retro update that I know a lot of gamers still playing NBA 2K13 and NBA 2K14 have been eagerly awaiting, and it looks to be well worth it. The key features of URB V78 are as follows:

• Updated Elite Roster by adding 6 new teams
• Added NEW 2019 & Elite Roster
• Updated All-Star Roster by adding new teams
• Updated all All-Time Rosters by adding new players (Zion, Tatum, Middleton, Jokic, Doncic, Booker, Siakam etc)
• Updated Current All Time Roster version with 2020 jerseys/logos, courts etc.
• Tons of new retro faces made by Maravich, Icecr, and other modders
• New retro jerseys made by Pepis

U R Basketball for NBA 2K14 can be downloaded here; please see the release topic here for more information and support. The NBA 2K13 mod is available here, while the release and support topic can be found here. The next version will include updates for the NBA Bubble restart; stay tuned to the support topics for further news.

Welcome to this week’s edition of The Friday Five! The Friday Five is a feature that I post every Friday in which I give my thoughts on a topic that’s related to NBA Live, NBA 2K, and other basketball video games, as well as the real NBA, and other areas of interest to our community. The feature is presented as either a list of five items, or in the form of a Top 5 countdown. This week’s Five is a list of five basketball games, other than the infamous NBA Elite 11, that were cancelled.

If we’re talking about cancelled basketball games, then NBA Elite 11 is obviously one that springs immediately to mind. I’m sure that everyone knows that story, but the short version is that the demo was poorly received and widely mocked due to both gameplay issues and the infamous “Jesus Bynum” T-pose bug. This led to the full version being pulled five days before release so that it could receive further polish, with the delay eventually becoming cancellation. It’s a disaster that’s set the NBA Live series back years, and while it’s a significant event, it’s also a very familiar tale.

To that end, I thought it’d be more interesting to talk about some cancelled games in a list that doesn’t include the obvious example of NBA Elite 11. That’s not to say that these games are obscure and their stories unknown, but at least a couple of them aren’t talked about all that much. Please note that I’m also excluding the recent examples of NBA Live 17/The Drive to NBA Live, NBA Live 20, and NBA Live 21, as they were either never really officially announced, or there isn’t much to say except EA decided that they weren’t fit to launch. I’d like to think that there are some interesting stories with these other cancelled games though, so let’s take a look!

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After the official Twitter account dropped a not-too-subtle hint yesterday, the current gen trailer for NBA 2K21 has been released. In addition to giving us a glimpse at the gameplay from cinematic angles – along with a clip showing off the new shot meter – it also teases some interesting details.

It appears as though this year’s MyCAREER story will once include a college portion, as a player can be glimpsed wearing a Florida Gators jersey. Previous leaks have hinted at college teams being playable in NBA 2K21, though the full extent of their presence is obviously yet to be confirmed. The Neighborhood appears to have been revamped, based on a quick glimpse and a sign mentioning “2K Beach”. Players from around the world are also spotlighted, possibly hinting at some related content.

Check out the trailer below, courtesy of TGsoGood.

With the game less than a month away from release, we should be getting some concrete details very soon. In the meantime, what are your thoughts on the NBA 2K21 Current Gen trailer? What do you make of the hints that it appears to have dropped? Have your say in the comments below, and join in the discussion here in the NLSC Forum!

Some of you may recall the updates for the GameCube version of NBA Street Vol. 2 that were released some years back. Building upon those modding projects, agent_michael_scarn has just released a new update for the game titled “NBA Street Vol. 2 Legendary Edition”.

The mod is definitely worthy of Barney Stinson’s favourite catchphrase, as this comprehensive update for a beloved classic is indeed legen…wait for it…dary! It features 2020 season rosters updated as of the NBA Bubble restart, along with legendary players for each squad. All team logos and jerseys have also been updated for the current season, and player ratings are based on NBA 2K20 attributes wherever possible. A few elements from the older mods also remain.

You can pick up NBA Street Vol. 2 Legendary Edition here in our Downloads database! For more information on how to install it, as well as previews, further support, or if you just want to say thanks, check out this topic in the Forum. You can also go back and check out some of the older updates by JaoSming, johnz1, and Mazzochi, which can be found in the Other Basketball Games section of our Downloads database. Check out a complete roster listing for the mod here.

This is Wayback Wednesday, your midweek blast from the past! In this feature, we dig into the archives, look back at the history of basketball gaming, and indulge in some nostalgia. Check in every Wednesday for retrospectives and other features on older versions of NBA Live, NBA 2K, and old school basketball video games in general. You’ll also find old NLSC editorials re-published with added commentary, and other flashback content. This week, I’m taking a look back at the way Vince Carter was booed in NBA Live 10.

In last week’s Friday Five, I mentioned that in NBA Live 10, Vince Carter would be booed by the virtual Toronto crowd whenever he played there as an opponent. As I needed a screenshot of Vince in NBA Live 10 for the article, I fired up the game and my Elgato capture device, and got to work. After deciding to go the extra step and record some footage of the phenomenon, I grew curious. Is that detail still a thing if he gets traded to another team? What happens if he’s back in Toronto? It seemed like a good idea for a video feature, so let’s take a look back…way back…

I hope that satisfied your curiosity as it did mine! I enjoy making the occasional video for Wayback Wednesday and other weekly features, as well as providing updates on my modding projects, so it was nice to whip up another one this week. Be sure to subscribe to the NLSC’s YouTube channel for more videos moving forward!

Today’s selection of file additions for NBA 2K20 PC includes faces, fictional courts, and the latest NBA Bubble court updates. Check them all out at the links below!

Thanks to everyone who continues to contribute to our Downloads database! If you need help uploading files, be sure to check out this video tutorial. For more information about downloads, the modding community, and File Additions bulletins, please see this FAQ in our Wiki.

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We’re at midcourt, and the ball is about to go up…it’s Monday Tip-Off! Start your week here at the NLSC with a feature that’s dedicated to opinions, commentary, and other fun stuff related to NBA Live, NBA 2K, and other basketball video games. This week, I’m tipping things off with a look at the decline of MyCAREER offline, and its effect on the career experience in NBA 2K.

MyCAREER has been my main mode of choice since I was drawn to it back in NBA 2K13. As I’ve mentioned on many occasions, I’ve felt a desire to return to my roots as a franchise gamer – especially given the depth currently on offer in MyLEAGUE – and have also spent time with MyTEAM, as well as Ultimate Team in NBA Live over the past generation. However, MyCAREER has been difficult to quit, particularly as I’ve grown to appreciate the online scene through 2K Pro-Am. The connected experience offers several benefits, but it’s also contributed to the decline of MyCAREER offline.

I was originally going to cover this in a Friday Five article which would’ve been titled “5 Ways Offline MyCAREER Is Worse”, but I decided that the list format wouldn’t do the issue justice. One of the major reasons for my change of heart and mind is that I stumbled across this Reddit post from about five months back, outlining the way that MyCAREER offline has been downgraded over the years. It was well-researched, and I must credit it here as a source of information for the specific changes I’ve noted. Its title was apt, too. It’s a matter that doesn’t receive nearly enough attention, and I’d like to rectify that by covering it today, while also considering some possible solutions.

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