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 ways to make your basketball gaming experiences more interesting.

As we discussed in last week’s episode of the NLSC Podcast, the offseason is upon us, which means we’ve put in nine solid months of gaming with last season’s basketball titles. It’s around this time of the year that our habits on the virtual hardwood tend to change. Maybe we start spending time in a different mode, or try to finish up all of our business before this year’s games are released. If we’re enjoying what we’re doing, we may keep playing the current game throughout the preview season. Or, after so many months, we may feel it’s time to shelve the games and play something else.

If you are still keen on virtual hoops at this point of the year, you might feel inclined to try something different. For that matter, you may be considering new ways to play in the upcoming games, as it’s easy to get into a rut and fall back into old habits year after year. I know that I’ve often vowed to change things up by trying a different build or doing something out of the ordinary, only to opt for the familiar. There are some ideas that I’d like to try out at some point though, as well as a few that I have tried, if only briefly. If you’d like a different basketball gaming experience, consider these suggestions this offseason, or come NBA Live 20 and NBA 2K20.

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Today’s file additions for NBA 2K14 PC include player faces, updated logos, and the new jerseys for the Houston Rockets. Download them all at the links below!

werewolf914
Wilt Chamberlain 1962 Face

Blang
Dražen Petrović Face
Nic Claxton Face
Jalen Lecque Face

Pep
NBA Nike Houston Rockets 2019 Uniforms

IceCr
Charles Barkley Face

Sastre Matulin
2018-2019 NBA Logos (Updated to Final)

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 Training Camp in NBA 2K12.

In recent years, it’s been noted that the NBA 2K series has been increasingly geared towards appealing to the hardcore online crowd. In a Reddit post that I’ve mentioned before (and no doubt will again), a former EVE Online developer has noted the series’ increasing focus on catering to elite players, and apparent hostility to newer gamers who are trying to hone their skills on the virtual hardwood. It’s fostered the “get gud” mindset, while failing to provide the onboarding, opportunities, and fair matchmaking that would allow less experienced players to strive for that.

As noted in that Reddit post, it wasn’t always that way. Earlier this decade, the NBA 2K games were going out of their way to teach gamers all of the basic and advanced controls, in an environment that was both helpful and creative. Those efforts began with the introduction of Training Camp in NBA 2K12, a feature that would carry over into NBA 2K13 and prior gen NBA 2K14. Let’s take a look back…way back…

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Following several months of hard work, Dee4Three has released V2 of the Ultimate Classic Teams Roster for NBA 2K17 PC! The roster includes 40 new classic teams complete with artwork, and also adds all of the missing players to the existing retro squads.

UCTR V2 is also MyLEAGUE-ready, with accurate ratings, ages, rotations, signature animations, and other team and player data. The mod is 5.74 GB in size, and can be downloaded here. Place all of the files in your main NBA 2K17 folder, with the exception of the contents of the Roster File folder. Please see the included text file for further installation instructions for the roster.

Congratulations to Dee4Three for the release of V2! Check out his video preview of the Ultimate Classic Teams Roster here. For further previews, information, and support, check out the release topic here in the NBA 2K17 Modding section of the NLSC Forum. Please see below for the complete list of new retro teams.

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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 few thoughts on how we gamers are part of the problem when it comes to recent issues with NBA 2K19.

I try my best not to be repetitive in the topics I choose for my weekly features. Unless I’m producing a series centred on a certain theme or topic, I try to space out similar features and even alternate between games wherever possible. I also want to be as fair-handed as possible, and not resort to bashing for the sake of outrage clicks. With that being said however, although I’ve discussed issues with online modes and play in the last couple of Monday Tip-Off articles, recent events in NBA 2K19 have made it impossible not to touch on them once again this week.

Where to begin? An influx of new gamers from a recent sale has been blamed for persistent problems in MyTEAM’s Auction House, an issue that remains unresolved. The appearance of an unskippable ad has naturally raised the ire of many gamers, both for its inconvenience and inappropriateness in an E-rated game. This is all on top of the continued dissatisfaction with the game’s heavy focus upon microtransactions and gambling-like mechanics. Those issues all deserve scorn, but as I prepared to talk about them and criticise NBA 2K’s handling of the situation once again, a nagging thought came to mind: like it or not, we’re part of the problem.

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Episode #289 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! This week, Kenny and I catch up on the conclusion of the 2019 NBA Finals, talk about basketball gaming during the offseason, and look ahead to this year’s preview season for NBA Live and NBA 2K.

A new NBA champion has been crowned! We reflect on Games 5 and 6 of the NBA Finals, discuss what’s next for the champion Toronto Raptors and injury-riddled Golden State Warriors, and offer up some thoughts on the Draft and free agency. The beginning of the offseason also raises questions about our basketball gaming habits. Are we done with the 2019 season games, or is there life in them yet? We outline some of our plans for both titles. As the preview season for NBA Live 20 and NBA 2K20 looms in the distance, we also discuss our expectations for the games, and how we’d like EA Sports and 2K Sports to handle the previews. Will we ever see another historical challenge mode? What role will the WNBA play in both games? We’ll know come July…or August…or maybe September…

Tune in below!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:28:22 — 60.8MB)

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

How do your basketball gaming habits change during the offseason? What are your expectations for this year’s preview season? 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 latest file additions for NBA 2K19 PC include faces, courts, jerseys, and a new portrait for Anthony Davis. Check them all out at the links below!

Shuajota
Anthony Davis Lakers Portrait

MonkeyManJSV
Brad Wanamaker Face
Torrey Craig Face

Aston2K
2K Nike Hoop Summit Jerseys
30 Teams Pack – Scrimmage, Training, Summer League Jerseys

sticky-fingers
116 Courts Pack for Ultimate Retro Roster 2K19 – Part 1/7
116 Courts Pack for Ultimate Retro Roster 2K19 – Part 2/7
116 Courts Pack for Ultimate Retro Roster 2K19 – Part 3/7
116 Courts Pack for Ultimate Retro Roster 2K19 – Part 4/7
116 Courts Pack for Ultimate Retro Roster 2K19 – Part 5/7
116 Courts Pack for Ultimate Retro Roster 2K19 – Part 6/7
116 Courts Pack for Ultimate Retro Roster 2K19 – Part 7/7

Torogi
RKJ No Injuries Roster (With New Retro Teams) (Updated to v2.4)

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.

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 takes a look at five game modes that I haven’t played much of over the years.

There’s almost too much to do in basketball video games these days. The amount of modes in NBA 2K in particular caters to a wide variety of tastes; whether you prefer competitive online play, card collecting and team building, living the life of an NBA player, or sitting in the GM’s seat, you can find something to play. Needless to say, this is a good problem to have. It makes older titles look even more primitive, and as we move forward, stresses the importance of NBA Live being able to improve upon the depth and variety of its modes.

While it’s a good problem to have, a bevy of deep modes can leave us struggling to get the most out of a title before the next game is released. As I’ve discussed, it’s a problem that’s further exacerbated when there are multiple hoops titles that you want to play. I’ve spent many hours playing basketball games over the years, and I’ve built up a substantial collection of titles. However, I can’t say that I’ve been able to get the most out of all them, or spent as much time with some of the modes as I would have liked. Glancing at the modes in recent games, or looking back at older titles, I can think of at least five modes that I feel I’ve neglected.

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Following on from the release of the Double Z Mod, eskayelle has released a beta version of NBA Jam TE 2K20! The mod for the Super Nintendo version of NBA Jam Tournament Edition features updated rosters with 169 players, including some bonus players on their former teams in the vein of the NBA Playgrounds series.

Not only does the mod add new players with appropriate ratings, but also updated team logos and court colours. Since the game only includes 27 NBA teams, the Rookies squad includes players from the Toronto Raptors, Memphis Grizzlies, and New Orleans Pelicans. The Seattle SuperSonics have also been replaced by the Oklahoma City Thunder.

As noted, NBA Jam TE 2K20 is currently in open beta, so expect further changes as players start moving around during the offseason. Download it here, and check out this topic in the NLSC Forum for further previews and information!

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 Shaquille O’Neal’s history with NBA Live.

Before the 2019 NBA Finals tipped off, it was noted that the series marked the 35th year in a row that the league’s championship round featured a player who was at one time a teammate of Shaquille O’Neal. It’s not the first time that Shaq’s connections to a Finals participant has come up, but with LeBron James’ offseason move to the Los Angeles Lakers after eight consecutive Finals appearances with the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers, there was speculation that the streak may finally come to an end. Thanks to Danny Green and the champion Toronto Raptors, it remains intact.

With a nineteen year career that began in 1992 and ended in 2011, and saw six stops along the way, the streak is arguably less surprising than it seems. Given the number of journeyman he played with, and his own nomadic nature later on in his career, it’s no surprise that there are connections stretching out in both directions. On the virtual hardwood, Shaquille O’Neal has a similar streak of longevity, particularly when it comes to the NBA Live series. Let’s take a look back…way back…

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A new version of U R Basketball is now available for NBA 2K14 PC! As with the previous release, the latest update from skoadam and slimm44 looks ahead to the 2020 season, with updated offseason rosters that account for the recent Anthony Davis trade. A breakdown of the key features of URB 2K14 V68 is as follows:

• New 2020 Roster!
• Newest transactions
• Newest contract extensions

You can find V68 of U R Basketball here in our Downloads section. Be sure to check out the release topic here for support, previews, and more information about future releases.

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 how a focus on online modes and content is killing – or at the very least, putting a serious damper on – retro gaming on the virtual hardwood.

Unless you’re talking about beloved classics, sports games – and in particular, the ones that see a new release every year – tend not to be very popular in retro gaming circles. Because they’re attempting to capture reality in both their gameplay and aesthetics, they tend to age worse than other genres. Sports gamers want the latest release, set in the most recent season. As a result, sports games don’t make second-hand retailers a lot of money, resulting in their trade-in value being very low. If you’ve ever tried to trade in your old basketball titles, you’ll know that all too well.

This phenomenon predates the more recent approach to designing basketball games, though it used to be easier to stick with an older title, or go back to one. One could have a lot of fun dusting off an old favourite, and indeed, that’s a major factor for my Wayback Wednesday features. However, the games of the current generation don’t have the same retro gaming appeal. The heavy focus on online modes and content mean that titles are far more limited than they used to be once the servers have been shut down and support has ceased. It’s not just online multiplayer that’s been cut off, but access to major parts of the single player retro gaming experience, too.

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We’re wrapping up this week with the latest file additions for NBA 2K19 PC, specifically some new player updates. Download them all at the links below!

Shuajota
J.P. Macura Face
Andrew Albicy Face

MonkeyManJSV
Khem Birch Face

Arteezy
Michael Jordan 1985 Face

BLY
Dwyane Wade Final Game Face

Torogi
Fred VanVleet Face & Model (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.

An exciting new release by eskayelle has been added to our Downloads section: the Double Z Mod for the Super Nintendo version of NBA Jam Tournament Edition! The mod is an ultimate 90s update for NBA Jam TE on SNES, adding several new players and teams. An overview of the key features is as follows:

• Forget the Rookies! Now play as the 1992 Dream Team!
• Bugs from the original game have been fixed, i.e., the Grand Champions and Injuries bugs.
• Assets from the original game have been restored, such as the Mortal Kombat banners.
• Battle the 27 NBA teams from worst to first, based on 1992-93 conference standings and playoffs results.
• Tons of new secret characters, including Hulk Hogan, David Hasselhoff, Arnie (as the T-800), and more!
• Play as the 72-10 1996 Chicago Bulls!
• Play as the Motor City Bad Boys!
• Play as “The Worm”, Dennis Rodman, on at least four teams!
• Play as a new Underdogs team, pairing up some secret characters and other interesting match-ups.
• Expanded rosters are now as easy as inputting 2 versions of the Konami code.
• Enjoy new announcer sound clips with some serious 90s sound bytes. Just try not to smile when you hear the Macho Man chime in…or Ric Flair…WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
• As an added bonus, included is a patch to play as Jean-Claude Van Damme. Welcome to NBA Jamme!

Download it here, and check out the release topic here for further information, support, and previews. eskayelle is also working on an NBA Jam 2K20 TE mod which will update the game with current season rosters, similar to the NBA Jam 2K17 mod that was released a couple of years ago. You can find more information on that project here.

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 options found in basketball games that are rather (or indeed, completely) pointless.

Generally speaking, it doesn’t hurt to have as many options as possible in basketball video games. When it comes to the selection of modes, we want options. When it comes to the controls, we want options. When it comes to gameplay sliders and game settings, we want options. When it comes to customising the game in any way…well, you get the idea. While it may seem intimidating to have too many options, I’d much rather that and simply ignore anything I don’t want to tinker with, rather than wish I had the ability to change something.

With that being said, there have been options and tasks in basketball video games that have felt pointless. In the best case scenario they can just be ignored, but they can still be annoying, if only because you can’t help but feel that they could (and should) be more useful. They leave you wondering why the developers bothered to have those options in the first place, or why something wasn’t done more efficiently. Others may simply be left over from previous games where they had more of a purpose, and some benefit the publishers more than gamers. Whatever the case may be, some options are quite pointless, and these are five that come to mind.

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