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 some NBA Live 99 and NBA Live 09 trivia, ahead of the release of NBA Live 19.

We’re just a couple of days away from the launch of NBA Live 19. It’s shaping up to be a good year for NBA Live, as the series continues its comeback after many years of rebuilding. Hopefully NBA Live will continue to go from strength to strength from here on out, as it did during its glory years of the mid 90s to around 2005. Back then, EA Sports were doing some very innovative things with the series, and it felt like every year brought something new to the table. As I said in my retrospective, that was certainly the case with NBA Live 99.

NBA Live 09 was also a good bounce back year for the series, and remains one of its best releases during the PlayStation 3/Xbox 360 generation. With the series having been around for over two decades, it’s interesting to look back at the game that came out ten years before the current one, and the one that was released ten years before that. With that in mind, I’ve compiled some NBA Live 99 and NBA Live 09 trivia, similar to what I did last year with NBA Live 98 and NBA Live 08. Let’s take a look back…way back…

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NBA 2K19 will be in our hands very soon, but there are still some things to learn before this year’s game drops. After what was seemingly an unintentional post yesterday, a gameplay blog by the one and only Da_Czar is now officially live.

The blog goes into great detail about enhancements to playcalling and AI in NBA 2K19. Key points on the user side of things include the new playcalling visuals, the revamped On The Fly Coaching menu, and dynamic plays for specific players. You may have already noticed some of these elements if you played through a 2KU game in The Prelude.

On the AI side of things, Da_Czar talks about improvements to play distribution/variation, recognition of mismatches, pick and roll switching, transition offense, double team logic, and freelance offense. He also includes several videos demonstrating the improvements to playcalling and AI on both sides of the ball. Be sure to give it a read for the full scoop!

Meanwhile, Chris Smoove has posted a video providing a comprehensive breakdown of MyCAREER in NBA 2K19. It offers up a wealth of information on MyPOINTS, player progression, contract negotiations, endorsements and VC earnings, career objectives, and more. Watch it below, or catch it here on YouTube.

As always, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below, as well as join in the discussion here in the NBA 2K19 section of the NLSC Forum!

It seems that a few people already have their hands on the full version of NBA 2K19, but for most of us, we’ve still got a short wait. The 20th Anniversary Edition will be out on September 7th while the Standard Edition drops next week on the 11th, but in the meantime, we’ve been able to get a taste of this year’s game from Visual Concepts via NBA 2K19 The Prelude. I’ve already shared some impressions of The Prelude in Episode #261 of the NLSC Podcast, but for those who prefer text to audio content, I thought that I’d offer a write-up as I did for the NBA Live 19 demo.

As in previous years, the latest version of The Prelude is exclusive to the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. It offers a chance for us to make a head start on MyCAREER by creating a player and playing through the preliminary stages of the mode, as well as sample some 5v5 gameplay through a ten minute game in 2KU. To that end, it’s a very brief glimpse of what’s on offer in NBA 2K19, but it’s enough to give us some insight into what to expect in terms of MyPLAYER Archetypes, the tone of the story, and the gameplay in general. Read on for my impressions!

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Here are the latest file additions for NBA 2K14 PC! In addition to an update for V61 of the U R Basketball mod, new releases include an Allen Iverson title screen, and logo updates for the 2018 and 2019 seasons. Please see below for all the download links.

ManasGaming
Allen “The Answer” Iverson Title Screen

Sastre Matulin
2017-2018 NBA Scoreboard Logos (Medevenx Tribute)
2017-2018 NBA Logos (Medevenx Tribute) (Updated to v3.0)
2018-2019 NBA Logos (Updated to v4.0)

skoadam
2K14 U R Basketball V61 [35 Complete Seasons Mods] + Accurate 18-19 Roster/Rotations [ALL Transactions 2nd September 2018] (Updated)

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.

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 few thoughts on picking a team to use in franchise modes for the 2019 season.

“Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.” That’s how I’m feeling about career modes, which as I noted last week, I’m somewhat burned out on. Nevertheless, those of us who have been playing as the official NLSC Pro-Am squad these last few years have been talking about giving it another run in NBA 2K19, just to see if it’s something that we can enjoy in addition to our solo gaming. Alternatively, we might shake things up and see if we can get a game of MyLEAGUE Online going, perhaps even making a story topic out of it since activity is picking up on that board.

Whatever happens in that regard, I’m keen to return to my roots as a franchise gamer, and set career modes as a lower priority in my basketball gaming activities this year. It’s been too long since I allowed myself to get caught up in the fun and excitement of running a team, playing the role of head coach, general manager, and indeed, every player on the squad. In MyLEAGUE, we’ve never had a deeper franchise mode to sink our teeth into. Even if NBA Live 19’s Franchise mode isn’t everything that I’d like it to be, it’s still something I’ll check out. There’s an important question facing me however, no matter which franchise mode I play: which team should I choose?

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NBA 2K14 gamers have been enjoying several updates for U R Basketball lately, but now skoadam and slimm44 have a treat for people still playing NBA 2K13 PC. V61 of the URB 2K13 mod is out now, featuring updated 2019 season rosters, updated artwork, All-Time Rosters, and many other enhancements! An overview of the key features of V61 is as follows:

• New 2019 Roster with ratings and tendencies based on end of the season stats
• New 2018 Roster with ratings and tendencies based on end of the season stats
• Updated courts, arenas, jerseys, faces, and coaches
• Updated jerseys numbers
• Transactions and rotations updated through 2nd September
• New schedule for the 2018/19 season
• All-Time Current Style Roster

You can download V61 of U R Basketball here! Be sure to check out the release topic here for support, previews, and more information about future releases.

The demo and EA Access trial of NBA Live 19 may be out and providing us with hands-on previews of this year’s game, but EA Sports aren’t done with their developer insights. Check out the latest developer blog for more information on the improvements to one-on-one play:

Last year, a big focus for the NBA Live gameplay team was to make playing on-ball defense fun, impactful, and skill-based. We introduced the one-on-one system for the on-ball defender and ball handler matchup. This allowed the ball carrier to try and break down defenders while giving the defense the ability to cut off and stop counter moves. With NBA LIVE 19, we’ve not only made some improvements to the on-ball system but created a brand-new one-on-one system for off-ball play.

The blog details the addition of off-ball controls in player-locked gameplay, updates to the jostle system on both sides of the ball, and some of the basic strategies you’ll want to use. Once again, check it out for the full scoop, feel free to add your thoughts in the comments below, and join in the discussion in the NBA Live 19 section of the NLSC Forum!

Episode #261 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! Join Arcane and I for a discussion of the latest news heading into the final stretch before the release of NBA Live 19 and NBA 2K19, including our impressions of NBA 2K19 The Prelude.

• The official NBA Live website has released some snippets about Ultimate Team in NBA Live 19. It seems as though packs will feature a lot more transparency this year.
• Xbox One Gamers have been getting their hands on a trial of the full version of NBA Live 19 via EA Access. We discuss some of the details and impressions that have been shared with the community.
• Once again, we reiterate our desire to see more focus on NBA content in NBA Live moving forward, and our hopes for the future in that regard.
• NBA 2K19 The Prelude is out, along with the MyNBA2K19 app. We give our impressions on this year’s sneak peek of NBA 2K19, from face scanning to the MyCAREER story and gameplay.
• We react to the NBA 2K19 Neighborhood trailer, as well as other info on NBA 2K19’s iteration of the MyCAREER game world/hub.
• Episode #261 of the NLSC Podcast wraps up with our thoughts on Manu Ginobili’s retirement, and his impressive NBA career.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:35:22 — 65.6MB)

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Have some thoughts on the latest episode? Got a mailbag question or topic suggestion for the next show? Sound off in the comments section below, or join in the discussion here in the Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki.

As we mentioned in this week’s episode, our heartfelt condolences go out to the families of Elijah Clayton and Taylor Robertson, and all those affected by the tragic shooting at a Madden event in Jacksonville, Florida last week. If you would like to contribute to the Jacksonville Tribute Fund that EA has helped spearhead, please see here for more information.

With NBA 2K19 looming on the horizon, modding is slowing down a little for NBA 2K18. Our community is still making some greats mods however, including the faces and retro jersey fix in today’s file additions. Pick them up at the links below!

Torogi
Jarrell Martin Face
Bradley Beal Face (Updated to v3.0)

PeacemanNOT
1964-1965 Lakers Jerseys – PeacemanNOT

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.

A patch has come through for the NBA Live 19 demo. As yet there are no patch notes explaining what’s been addressed in the update, but presumably it includes minor fixes and tweaks. It may also accommodate some of the new content that’s being pushed through in regards to LIVE Events. We’ll be sure to post any details if and when they become available.

In the meantime, the official website has provided a few snippets on Ultimate Team. This year’s LUT will present us with information about pack probability, allowing us to make informed decisions about pack odds and whether a particular pack is worth investing in. This includes displaying the chances of drawing items of a certain rating or higher, and grouping players in OVR bands with differing probabilities of pulling players from each band. In short, it seems as though they’re aiming for more transparency.

Finally, with the introduction of One Court creation, EA Sports are looking to spotlight the best community designs in a weekly feature. You can check out the Week 1 courts here.

As always, feel free to discuss the latest developments in the comments below, as well as in the NBA Live 19 section of the NLSC Forum. Be sure to check out the NBA Live 19 demo if you haven’t already, and give my impressions a read here. With the game’s release right around the corner we’ll continue to have plenty of coverage, so stay tuned!

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 often underrated improvements in basketball games.

The preview season is almost over, with NBA Live 19 and NBA 2K19 coming out next week (or the week after, in the case of NBA 2K19’s Standard Edition). For those of us who are picking up this year’s basketball games, we’re naturally hoping that they will provide us with a lot of fun and fulfilling experiences on the virtual hardwood over the course of the next twelve months. From returning features to new modes and content, hopefully we’ll see a satisfactory number of improvements that make all of the anticipation worthwhile.

Of course, when we’ve been buying the newest basketball games every year, many of the improvements can feel rather incremental. It’s not until we go back and play the previous game, or maybe a game from a few years back, that we really recognise and appreciate some of the improvements that have been made. Although there are older games that do still hold up, the further back we go, the more we can see just how far basketball games have come. Some of those improvements are certainly easy to take for granted, so for this week’s Friday Five, I’m taking a look at five improvements in basketball games that tend to be somewhat underrated.

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NBA 2K19 The Prelude is now available on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One! As in previous years, this early hands-on look at NBA 2K19 allows us to get a head start on MyCAREER, as well as a feel for this year’s game. It weighs in at around 17 GB on each console; find it in the PlayStation Store here, and the Xbox Live Marketplace here.

The recently released MyNBA2K19 companion app can be used to scan your face for use in The Prelude and the full version of NBA 2K19. Please note that you won’t be able to log into your console account via the app until you’ve fired up The Prelude or the retail game. Also note that while the PC version will support face scanning via MyNBA2K19, The Prelude is exclusive to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

As always, feel free to share your impressions in the comments section below. You can also join in the conversation here in the NBA 2K19 section of the NLSC Forum.

For Xbox One gamers who’d like a closer look at NBA Live 19 than the demo provides, the trial of the full version is now available through EA Access. Pick it up through your console, or start downloading it through this link.

In case you’re unfamiliar with EA Access, it’s a subscription service exclusive to Xbox One that allows gamers to get an early look at upcoming games, as well as a 10% discount on digital games and other content from EA. It also includes access to The Vault, which contains a library of EA games that can be played at any time. More information on the service can be found here.

Whether you’re trying out the demo or the full version, be sure to join in the conversation taking place in our NBA Live 19 Forum!

In the wake of yesterday’s trailer, a couple of previews have been posted which provide further details on The Neighborhood in NBA 2K19. Both Game Informer and Forbes have posted articles explaining some of the changes, additions, and improvements this year. As always, I recommend reading the entire articles for the full scoop, but I’ll try to summarise the key points as best I can.

• Archetypes will be more balanced. Defensive Archetypes will have better offensive ratings than last year, and Archetypes have generally been re-worked to remove some of the disadvantages of choosing certain styles of play.
• In the full version of NBA 2K19, we’ll be able to see the maximum rating for each attribute as we’re creating our players, and note how they change as we select the Archetype, height, weight, and so on. It was a late addition, so it won’t be featured in The Prelude.
• MyPLAYERs still start at 60 Overall, but there will reportedly be less of a grind this year. The difficulty multiplier returns, and all Badge drills will award XP.
• The Neighborhood has been redesigned to be more centralised and is now square-shaped, for less running around. We can also proceed directly to the practice arena following games.
• Pro-Am Walk On has been replaced by the Jordan Rec Center. “Got Next” is still in effect in The Playground.
• Haircuts can be previewed first, and no longer cost VC. Vehicles such as skateboards and bicycles can be purchased from a new shop (“Wheels”) as you level up.
• A special MyTEAM store will allow you to create a MyTEAM card based on your MyPLAYER.
• There are several more mini-games including dodgeball (which can grant a lot of VC), trampoline basketball, and a daily trivia contest. There will also be revolving live events, each with different themes. We’ll also experience transitions from day to night over six hour periods in The Neighborhood.
• This year’s story – in which the cutscenes are skippable – will take players through the Chinese League and G-League before making it to the NBA.
• MyCOURT is basically the same, though you don’t have to return there to change clothes, and there’s no B-Fresh this year.
• A daily prize wheel can be spun for a chance at various prizes including shoes, VC, and XP (apparently now called MyPoints). Daily challenges have also been incorporated, with big rewards.
• The new Crew mode will be 3v3 and allow you to team up with two friends to take on various challenges.

Once again, be sure to check out the aforementioned articles for additional details and comments from the developers! Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below, as well as join in the discussion here in our NBA 2K19 Forum.

Ahead of the release of The Prelude on August 31st, 2K has dropped a trailer for The Neighborhood in NBA 2K19. The trailer shows off a completely re-designed Neighborhood, confirms that the Jordan Rec Center is back, and provides glimpses of new games such as Slam Ball and dodgeball. The Playground has also been revamped, and it appears as though there are shortcuts to other modes, such as MyTEAM.

The MyNBA2K19 companion app has also been released for Android and iOS devices. Please note that the face scanning functionality will not work until you’ve logged in via The Prelude or the full version of NBA 2K19, once they’re released. The familiar card collecting game also returns in MyNBA2K19, with opportunities to earn in-game rewards such as additional Virtual Currency.

Watch the trailer for The Neighborhood in NBA 2K19 below, or catch it here on YouTube.

Once again, The Prelude will be dropping on August 31st for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. What are your thoughts on the trailer? Are you a fan of The Neighborhood concept, or would you prefer a more streamlined experience? Have your say in the comments section below, and join in the discussion here in the NBA 2K19 section of the NLSC Forum!