Welcome to another edition of The Friday Five! Every Friday I cover a topic related to basketball gaming, either as a list of five items, or a Top 5 countdown. The topics for these lists and countdowns include everything from fun facts and recollections to commentary and critique. This week’s Five is a list of five ways that basketball gaming on PC has declined over the years.

It pains me to speak ill of basketball gaming on PC. In NBA Live’s Golden Age, there was no question that the PC version was the definitive release. Even when the PC was receiving a port of the PlayStation 2/Xbox release in the mid 2000s, it held a distinct advantage in the form of the modding community. Many of my fondest basketball gaming memories involve playing on PC, and I’ve always enjoyed games on both PC and console. What I’m getting at is that I’m in no way against PC gaming – basketball or otherwise – so I’m not trashing it as a platform for video games.

That’s why the realisation that PC basketball gaming has declined is a dismal thought. It isn’t dead by any means, but it could be in much better shape. Aside from modding capabilities, it’s been a long time since the PC version of any basketball game was unquestionably superior to its console brethren. Modding has also been affected by changes to PC releases. From a collecting standpoint, there are some tremendous disadvantages compared to picking up copies on PlayStation or Xbox. We also have more reason to be concerned about future releases on PC, from quality to their very existence. Here are five ways that PC basketball gaming has unfortunately declined.

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Following on from the insight into WNBA content, the latest NBA 2K23 developer blog provides a deep dive into MyTEAM. There are several additions and enhancements this year, including a highly requested change: the removal of contracts!

This change has been cited as an effort to enhance the fun and accessibility of the mode. Other enhancements include the addition of new modes such as Triple Threat Online: Co-Op, and single player Clutch Time. Various reward systems have been revamped, and player lock is available throughout MyTEAM’s modes. The era-specific presentation from the revamped Jordan Challenge and MyNBA Eras will also be utilised in various Challenges and Domination games.

As always, I recommend checking out the NBA 2K23 MyTEAM blog for the full scoop, but I’ve also summarised the key information below. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments, as well as join in the discussion here in our Forum!

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Today’s NBA 2K22 mod releases feature a couple of face updates. Download them both at the links below!

leonchu
James Worthy Face

Shuajota
Braxton Key Face

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 Mod Releases bulletins, please see this FAQ in our Wiki.

This is Wayback Wednesday, your midweek blast from the past! From retrospectives of basketball games and their interesting features, to republished articles and looking at NBA history through the lens of the virtual hardwood, Wednesdays at the NLSC are for going back in time. This week, I’m taking a look back at Linsanity, and its effect on basketball video games.

The NBA has produced some captivating stories in its 75 years, including inspiring underdog tales. When I was growing up as a young NBA fan in the 90s, the story of how John Starks went from undrafted prospect to a key member of the best Knicks teams since the 70s was one of the most popular. Some twenty years after Starks’ breakout season in New York, another Knicks guard would become a fan favourite after making his mark. Of course, while there are some fun coincidences in the careers of John Starks and Jeremy Lin, there are some noteworthy differences as well.

Both originally made their NBA debut for the Golden State Warriors, seeing limited minutes while playing less than half of the season. Both had gone undrafted, though Lin had arguably been a much longer shot to make the league, having not received any athletic scholarship offers and being just one of four players from Harvard to go pro (and the first in over fifty years). Again, both were fan favourites in New York, whose big break came in part thanks to injuries. However, while Starks’ career was memorable, Linsanity was something special, brief as it may have been. It also had a noticeable impact on the virtual hardwood. Let’s take a look back…way back…

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The latest NBA 2K23 developer blog provides details about The W in this year’s game. This year, the goal has been to add more authentic elements of the WNBA, as well as community-based activities.

As with MyWNBA, the Commissioner’s Cup is now represented in The W. Your player can also qualify for the All-Star Game, and league expansion can be unlocked. Each season will include community goals that will allow a variety of exclusive rewards to be unlocked for everyone via cooperation.

The W will once again be exclusive to NBA 2K23 Next Gen. At this juncture, it doesn’t appear as though any enhancements will be made to the WNBA content in Current Gen, beyond the usual roster and player likeness updates. I’ve summarised the key information below, but be sure to give the blog a read for the full scoop. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments, as well as join in the discussion here in the Forum!

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We’re at midcourt, and the ball is about to go up…it’s Monday Tip-Off! Join me as I begin the week here at the NLSC with my opinions and commentary on basketball gaming topics, as well as tales of the fun I’ve been having on the virtual hardwood. This week, I’m tipping things off by pondering whether it would be feasible to include the whole world in one basketball game, most likely NBA 2K.

Since 2010, the NBA 2K series has done an impressive job of fleshing out its extra content. The old All-Decade teams and Draft Class squads were dropped (though the former would eventually return) in favour of classic teams, beginning with those that were included as part of The Jordan Challenge. The roster of retro squads has since expanded, with All-Time teams also being added. We’ve also seen Olympic teams, EuroLeague teams, and now the WNBA represented in NBA 2K. If the series was to expand its bonus content further, what else could it possibly include?

How about the whole world in one basketball game? Yes, I’m talking about a FIFA-like representation of other prominent professional leagues, in addition to the NBA. Now, I believe that the NBA should always be the priority given it is NBA 2K, and expanded bonus content isn’t a vital improvement. Still, it’s an intriguing possibility, especially with NBA 2K’s dominance in the basketball gaming space. Outside of management titles, or indie efforts such as PBA Basketball Slam, it’s unlikely to see other leagues licensed for their own games. However, the success of NBA 2K, and strength of the NBA brand, could buoy an all-encompassing pro basketball title.

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From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #440 of the NLSC Podcast!

MyNBA Eras have added a feature to the franchise experience in NBA 2K23 Next Gen that we once thought wouldn’t ever be possible. Although we do have some concerns about the quality of certain elements, and its absence in Current Gen is a bummer, we’re definitely impressed and excited! That joy carried over to our retro gaming this week, as we were able to resolve some technical issues for a better experience. Another instalment of Dee’s Deals provides a roundup of some very fairly-priced classics for aspiring collectors. We also reflect on the lineup of basketball games circa 2002-2003, once again lamenting the lack of choice we have some twenty years later. In this week’s mailbag, our listeners tell us which MyNBA Era they’re most excited to play in NBA 2K23.

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:20:32 — 55.7MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

To get involved with the mailbag or to provide any feedback on the show, hit us up in the comments, reach out on social media, or post here in the NLSC Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. You can also find the show on our YouTube channel, along with the rest of our video content. As always, thanks for tuning in, and go get buckets!

Get ready for more fantastic highlights from the basketball gaming community in the NLSC Top 10 Plays of the Week, curated by Dee4Three! New and old games alike are featured in this celebration of spectacular moments on the virtual hardwood. To submit your clips, post them in this topic, or hit up Dee on Twitter.

It wouldn’t be the NLSC Top 10 Plays without some thunderous poster dunks! As usual, this week’s assortment of spectacular slams comes courtesy of a variety of titles, ranging from the original NBA 2K all the way up to NBA 2K22. There are also some wild buzzer beaters, from quarter-ending long bombs to a cold-blooded gamewinner. Needless to say, you’ll find some great plays by historical players, as well as a truly unbelievable highlight that I’m sure you’ll agree is hands down worthy of being crowned the number one play of the week!

What was your favourite highlight this week? Sound off in the comments below, and once again, get in on the fun by sending us your best plays! Remember, as long as it’s a basketball game, it’s eligible for the countdown. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to us on YouTube for more basketball gaming videos.

Welcome to another edition of The Friday Five! Every Friday I cover a topic related to basketball gaming, either as a list of five items, or a Top 5 countdown. The topics for these lists and countdowns include everything from fun facts and recollections to commentary and critique. This week’s Five is a list of five reasons that playing NBA 2K14 MyCAREER remains a blast, and a retro gaming experience to consider.

Between my articles and commentary on the NLSC Podcast, it should be extremely obvious that I’ve developed quite a passion for MyCAREER in NBA 2K14! Not only has it been a blast to play, but it’s also been great to get positive feedback from the community when I’ve discussed it. Whether it’s been a comment on the articles or the podcast, or replies on Twitter, I love hearing that my fellow gamers have enjoyed my recaps and tidbits. It only encourages me to continue sharing stories about such a fun experience on the virtual hardwood.

This is the internet of course, which means that negativity is bound to seep in at some point; especially if someone is committing an atrocity such as enjoying something that you aren’t! To that point, there will be a few stray comments sneeringly asking why I or anyone else would still be playing NBA 2K14, MyCAREER or otherwise. Such a question is never asked in good faith, and I know I shouldn’t focus on such remarks. Nevertheless, whether you’re trying to downplay retro gaming, genuinely intrigued by someone playing an older game, or a retro gamer looking for a suggestion, this week’s Five is for you! NBA 2K14 MyCAREER is still a blast; here are five reasons why.

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The latest NBA 2K23 developer blog provides an in-depth preview of MyNBA in Next Gen. Suffice to say, it dropped some pretty big news!

In addition to the traditional franchise experience with current rosters, MyNBA in NBA 2K23 will include three historical eras: the Magic vs Bird Era, the Jordan Era, and the Kobe Era. These eras will allow us to jump into the past and play through to the modern day and beyond, with the league evolving as it did in real life. The presentation will also be era-specific, similar to the effects featured in the revamped Jordan Challenge.

Although the default historical rosters won’t be entirely complete and without any missing players, custom rosters and Draft Classes will be available in NBA 2K23 MyNBA. Additionally, eras are a Next Gen exclusive feature, and thus unfortunately will not be available in Current Gen’s MyLEAGUE mode.

You can find my summary of the key points of the developer blog below, along with 2K’s official breakdown/trailer for the mode. What are your thoughts? Sound off in the comments, and join in the discussion here in the Forum!

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A new 2022 offseason roster update by SiC2KK and the PROJ-ReBorn team has been released, and it’s available in today’s NBA 2K17 mod releases. Check it out at the link below!

SiC2KK
NBA 2K17 “PROJ-ReBorn” UPDATED ROSTER 2022-2023 (Updated to v3.0)

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 Mod Releases bulletins, please see this FAQ in our Wiki.

This is Wayback Wednesday, your midweek blast from the past! From retrospectives of basketball games and their interesting features, to republished articles and looking at NBA history through the lens of the virtual hardwood, Wednesdays at the NLSC are for going back in time. This week, I’m taking a look back at some of the updates that have become long-lost, and the quest to track them down.

With the internet’s ability to connect the world and make information and content readily accessible, there’s a particular interest in using it for preservation. It’s why there’s debate over dumping ROMs of games, particularly those that were never released and could otherwise easily become lost media. We’ve felt the sting of lost content in our modding community. So many great mods from the early days are long-lost now, and even more recent releases have disappeared because they were uploaded to file hosts that won’t guarantee availability in perpetuity.

And then, there are the long-lost official updates for various games. We actually have some old official patches in our Downloads section, as well as official roster updates, but it’s not a complete archive. Files that can be downloaded disappear from personal archives as well as the web, and in-game content updates likewise vanish and become long-lost when servers are shut down. This leaves us on a quest to find those long-lost updates, but all too often, it’s unfortunately been a fruitless search. Let’s take a look back…way back…

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The latest NBA Live 2005 mod releases from Swishnet include a collection of logo updates, and a referee pack. Download them all at the links below!

Swishnet
Swishnet Team Logos Update Pack 1
Swishnet Team Logos Update Pack 2
Swishnet Schedule Logos
Swishnet Referee Update
Swishnet Transition Logos

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 Mod Releases 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! Join me as I begin the week here at the NLSC with my opinions and commentary on basketball gaming topics, as well as tales of the fun I’ve been having on the virtual hardwood. This week, I’m tipping things off with my thoughts on how having a personal court is an underrated feature in career modes.

As you can probably glean from how often I’ve talked about an extended playthrough of MyCAREER in NBA 2K14, I’m enjoying the experience immensely. For years I snubbed the mode, and NBA 2K14 in general. I’m not too proud to admit that I was wrong about both of them. While NBA 2K14 does have its quirks, its gameplay still holds up tremendously well in 2022. As for that first MyCAREER story, it isn’t as “on rails” or as intrusive as I’d long believed. Again, I do have some criticisms, but after finally giving it a chance, my impressions and experiences are largely positive.

On the subject of my criticisms however, there’s the matter of what I do between games in NBA 2K14 MyCAREER. I check the league leaders of course, as well as the stats for my MyPLAYER and my teammates. I keep tabs on the standings and the emerging Playoff picture late in the season, envisioning my likeliest path to the NBA Finals, and the opponent that I’ll probably face for the championship. I’ll check the news, and track career milestones. Something that I don’t do, however, is partake in a shootaround. I don’t do that because, quite simply, I can’t. For all the great aspects of NBA 2K14 MyCAREER, it unfortunately doesn’t have a court that you can call home.

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From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #439 of the NLSC Podcast!

What are our reactions to the NBA 2K23 Jordan Challenge blog? We break down the latest news, and discuss whether it has us any more hyped for NBA 2K23. We also recap a fun game of NBA Live 2003 PC, and reflect on changing opinions about games that we originally viewed less positively. A recent post in the Forum leads to a discussion of the challenges presented by big modding projects, particularly retro season rosters. We also answer a question about downplaying past eras to promote the current NBA, and open up the mailbag to find out the first thing that gamers will be doing when they get their hands on NBA 2K23.

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:31:55 — 63.5MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

To get involved with the mailbag or to provide any feedback on the show, hit us up in the comments, reach out on social media, or post here in the NLSC Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. You can also find the show on our YouTube channel, along with the rest of our video content. As always, thanks for tuning in, and go get buckets!