NBA

Get your kicks with the NLSC Podcast, Episode #66! Join Arcane and myself as we talk NBA Live 14 and NBA 2K14, mention some upcoming modding projects and prepare to embarrass ourselves with some predictions for the 2014 All-Star Weekend.

• The big patch is out for NBA Live 14. We’ll have some more detailed impressions in the coming weeks, but for now we encourage everyone to check out our interview with Scott O’Gallagher.
• Unfortunately, the NBA Live 14 demo doesn’t appear to be receiving the patch. It’s a missed opportunity, but we consider the possibility it might be technically unfeasible.
• Once again, we reflect upon the depth and accuracy of professional reviews of basketball video games.
• Both Andrew and Arcane have some ideas for new mods that will hopefully come to fruition in the not too distant future.
• We encourage everyone to check out JaoSming’s latest Tuesday Triple, containing some excellent advice for new and experienced modders alike.
• The 2014 All-Star Weekend is almost upon us! We give our thoughts on the changes to this year’s events, along with our picks for all the winners.
• We wrap up the show with a couple of other NBA related topics.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:23:44 — 45.4MB)

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As always, feel free to hit us up with your thoughts on this week’s show, as well as any of the topics that we discussed, either in the comments below or here in the Forum. Topic suggestions and mailbag questions/comments are also welcome in this thread.

Welcome to this week’s edition of The Friday Five! This is a feature that I post every Friday in which I give my thoughts on a topic that’s related to basketball video games, the real NBA or another area of interest to our community, either as a list of five items or in the form of a Top 5 countdown.

After 30 years, David Stern’s tenure as the commissioner of the NBA came to an end last Saturday, February 1st. For those of us who grew up watching the NBA in the 80s and 90s, he’s the only NBA commissioner we’ve ever known, so it feels a little strange to see someone else in the role. For the first year or so, I’m guessing it’ll be a bit weird to see Adam Silver presenting trophies, not to mention his signature on the basketball.

Last week, Yahoo! NBA posted a slideshow spotlighting five of David Stern’s missteps, a well-chosen selection of some of his most noteworthy blunders on the job. It’s certainly fair to acknowledge failure along with success, but with Stern bashing being such a popular pastime for NBA fans, it’s easy to forget all of the good things that he’s done for the league. Therefore, this week I’m taking a look at five great things that David Stern did during his time as commissioner of the NBA.

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Episode #65 of the NLSC Podcast is out now, featuring a three man panel of Arcane, JaoSming and myself. Join us as we discuss the latest community projects, a couple of new features here on the NLSC, our latest thoughts on and experiences with NBA Live 14 and NBA 2K14, David Stern’s retirement and more.

• JaoSming has launched a couple of new weekly features, Dumb Fact Monday and The Tuesday Triple. We talk a little about the first week’s topics.
• bigh0rt and company have released the initial full version of the March Madness 2K14 mod for NBA 2K14 PC, a tremendous project that even garnered some attention from Kotaku.
• Millertime2325’s NBA Jam 2K14 project for the Super Nintendo version of NBA Jam Tournament Edition is shaping up quite nicely. Bring on MJ!
• We’re still having fun with NBA Live 14, but server issues with Ultimate Team raise some concerns about the new generation of gaming.
• Andrew received a ’92-’93 Michael Jordan card in NBA 2K14’s MyTEAM mode and was instantly transported back to his youth.
• JaoSming shares some further impressions of MyGM in NBA 2K14, along with a few tips on how to best utilise Virtual Currency.
• We follow up on a couple of topics from last week including 2K’s official roster updates and Locker Codes.
• The Saga of Andrew’s NBA 2K13 CD Key finally has a resolution, bringing about a happy ending to a tumultuous journey.
• We offer a few thoughts on David Stern, who has retired his post as NBA commissioner after 30 years.
• This week’s episode wraps up with a discussion of the All-Star reserves and a couple of other NBA topics.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:47:17 — 55.0MB)

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We’re always keen to hear your thoughts on the Podcast as well as any of the topics that we discussed, so feel free to have your say in the comments below or here in the Forum. If you’ve got any topic suggestions or mailbag questions, be sure to post them in this thread.

Episode #64 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! Please join Arcane and myself as we talk about a new feature here on the NLSC, patches for NBA Live 14 and NBA 2K14, 2014 All-Star selections and more.

• Ben has launched the NLSC Top 10 Plays of the Week, coming every Wednesday. Hats off to the community for getting involved!
• We still don’t have a concrete date for the big patch for NBA Live 14, but our feedback is definitely being put to good use.
• We’re glad to see the tutorial videos for NBA Live 14, but we really hope that we get a practice mode via the forthcoming patch.
• Speaking of patches, the fourth title update came through for NBA 2K14 on Xbox One and is coming soon on PlayStation 4. No gameplay tweaks, but some much needed fixes.
• The 2014 All-Star starters have been announced, though at least one has already been ruled out due to injury. Who will replace him, and who will jump centre for the East?
• We reflect on some impressive scoring performances by Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony and Terrence Ross.
• A couple of other NBA topics from the past week round out this week’s episode.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:16:12 — 41.4MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Let us know what you thought of this week’s episode, as well as any of the topics that we discussed, either in the comments below or in this thread. Don’t forget you can hit us up with any mailbag submissions here.

Welcome to this week’s edition of The Friday Five! This is a feature that I post every Friday in which I give my thoughts on a topic that’s related to basketball video games, the real NBA or another area of interest to our community, either as a list of five items or in the form of a Top 5 countdown.

For a while now, I’ve been meaning to do another Top 5 countdown for the Friday Five, as well as share some thoughts on a topic that’s related to the real NBA. Therefore, this week I’m killing two birds with one stone. Since we’re at the halfway mark of the 2013/2014 NBA season and the topic came up during Episode #63 of the NLSC Podcast, I’ve decided to rank the Top 5 candidates for the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award…at least so far.

The MVP award can be a controversial subject. After all, not everyone agrees on the criteria for selecting the winner, or even what the honour actually means. To me, it’s an award that gives recognition to a standout player for their performance during the season; a player who, one could argue, had the best overall season when factors such as individual brilliance, noteworthy games and their impact on their team’s success are all taken into account. I don’t think that many of these picks will shock anyone, but here is the MVP race as I see it, halfway through the 2014 campaign.

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Episode #63 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! Join Arcane and myself as we talk about the upcoming NBA Live 14 patch, our experiences with NBA 2K14 next gen over the past week, some unexpected NBA Jam news and the latest news from the real NBA.

• The big patch for NBA Live 14 is looming on the horizon. What do we expect to see? What are some of the improvements that we’re hoping to see?
• We continue to compile some quality feedback for NBA Live 14. Hopefully, it’ll have a positive impact moving forward.
• Gear in NBA 2K14 came in handy this past week, as Ben was able to use it to disprove a rumoured concept for the new Charlotte Hornets jerseys.
• We’ve been playing NBA 2K14 lately, but Virtual Currency and some nasty comeback logic are still sapping the fun out of the game.
• NBA Jam on Android surprisingly received a roster update yesterday. Will updates also be coming for other NBA Jam releases?
• The 2014 All-Star jerseys have been revealed, and they have sleeves. Guess what? We’re not fans.
• Joel Anthony has been traded; memes ensue.
• Speaking of trades, should the Chicago Bulls part with Derrick Rose, as suggested by a contributor over on Yahoo! NBA?
• Kevin Durant is tearing up the league at the moment and may be the frontrunner for the MVP. Who else is in the discussion?
• In search of an emphatic finish, we go with Paul George’s impressive 360 windmill.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:28:11 — 47.4MB)

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We’re always keen to hear your feedback, so feel free to hit us up with your thoughts on this week’s episode, as well as any of the topics that we discussed, either in the comments below or here in the Forum. Suggestions for discussion topics as well as mailbag questions and comments are also welcome in this thread.

Episode #62 of the NLSC Podcast is out now, featuring Arcane, JaoSming and myself. Join us for another fun show in which we offer our latest impressions of NBA Live 14 and NBA 2K14, recap our latest experiences with both games and give our thoughts on some other current events from the past week.

• We’ve been collecting some great, constructive feedback for the NBA Live 14 development team, who are very receptive to our ideas and suggestions.
• An update for NBA Live 14 added last Friday’s Nickname Night jerseys to the game. It was fun, but the novelty has since worn off.
• Even though there’s work to be done, we’re still quite enjoying NBA Live 14. We provide our latest impressions of gameplay, Ultimate Team and Dynasty Mode.
• More and more gamers seem to be warming up to NBA Live 14 and posting constructive ideas and feedback for the developers. Is the future bright for the series?
• Moving on to NBA 2K14, we compare the cost of packs in MyTEAM to NBA Live 14’s Ultimate Team. Suffice to say, we’re being gouged.
• Virtual Currency continues to be a problem in general, dampening our enthusiasm for the game modes in NBA 2K14 next gen.
• Shaq Fu may be seeing a sequel. Aren’t you excited?
• We mention some news and notes from around our modding community.
• This week’s real NBA discussion inclues Shoelace-gate, the rise of the Nets and the Knicks, Blake Griffin’s latest poster and the league’s apologies for blown calls.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:55:21 — 60.0MB)

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We hope you enjoy this week’s episode! Please feel free to let us know what you thought of the show, as well as your opinions on any of the topics that we discussed, either in the comments below or in this thread in the Forum. If you’ve got any questions you’d like us to answer in future installments of the listener mailbag or suggestions for topics you’d like to hear us talk about, hit us up in this thread.

Episode #61 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! JaoSming is busy this week, so Arcane and I are your hosts for the latest episode.

• As usual, we recap our experiences with NBA Live 14 and NBA 2K14 over the past week.
• We ponder what kind of RPG elements could be added to career modes in basketball games. Would developers ever touch on social issues through an expanded off-court experience?
• The Chicago Bulls have traded Luol Deng to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Andrew Bynum and picks. The resident Bulls fan on the panel is not particularly impressed.
• Chris Paul’s injury, the Golden State Warriors’ winning streak and a few other recent NBA news stories are touched upon.
• Arcane recaps Sony’s presentation at CES 2014.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 58:14 — 32.0MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

As always, we’d like to hear your feedback on the episode, as well as your thoughts on anything that we discussed. Hit us up in the comments below, as well as in this thread in the NLSC Forum. Also, don’t forget to send in any questions or topic suggestions for our listener mailbag, as we’ll be looking to do more installments in upcoming episodes.

We’re not wasting any time getting back into our digital broadcasting duties, as Episode #60 of the NLSC Podcast is out now. Join Arcane, JaoSming and myself as we discuss the latest events in the community, our recent basketball gaming experiences and more.

• Issues with Virtual Currency and server downtime have been causing quite a bit of outrage for NBA 2K14 gamers. We weigh in on the situation.
• Online issues aside, have we been enjoying NBA 2K14 next gen as of late?
• Recent updates and more hands-on time with the game have served to make NBA Live 14 more enjoyable for JaoSming. It seems he’s not alone there.
• The community has an opportunity to provide quality, constructive feedback to the NBA Live 14 development team. We intend to take advantage of it.
• We provide a rundown of some our recent modding projects and plans for the near future.
• 2014 marks the 20th anniversary of the NBA Live series. We’ll be doing a thing or two to celebrate the occasion as the year goes on.
• Our NBA discussion for the week includes struggling teams, a rash of injuries and an idea that would make for the most exciting trade deadline in league history.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 2:11:03 — 69.9MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

If you’ve got any feedback on this week’s show or opinions about any of the topics that we discussed, we’d love to hear from you. Sound off in the comments below, as well as in this thread in the Forum. We’ll also be looking to do some more listener mailbags throughout the year, so hit us up with any submissions, be they questions you’d like us to answer or topics you’d like to hear us discuss.

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 basketball video games, the real NBA or another area of interest to our community, either as a list of five items or in the form of a Top 5 countdown.

We’ve come to the final edition of The Friday Five for 2013, as we find ourselves a mere four days away from a brand new year. Last week, I took a look back as I picked my five favourite Friday Fives from the first year of the column. This week, I’m looking ahead to the future, listing five things that I’m looking forward to in the coming year.

2013 was certainly an interesting year for our community, with several large modding projects, the launch of a new generation of consoles, the return of NBA Live after four years on the sideline and a very memorable NBA Finals series between the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs. Having said that, I believe that 2014 will have its fair share of interesting events, great games, highlights and moments from the NBA and of course, fun times with basketball video games. So, without any further ado and in no particular order, here are 5 Things I’m Looking Forward To In 2014.

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Episode #59 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! We’re taking a break for Christmas next week, so this is our final episode for 2013. Join Arcane and myself as we look back on the year that was and indulge in all of the usual end-of-year topics.

• The Xbox One version of NBA 2K14 has received the third official patch, with the PS4 patch coming as soon as Sony gives the thumbs up.
• Ultimate Base Roster is coming to NBA 2K14 PC! We’re certainly looking forward to it, along with all the other projects that are now possible with the release of RED MC.
• We run down some of the highlights and big news stories of 2013. Naturally, we talk NBA Live 14 and NBA 2K14, while our beloved Leftos gets a mention.
• What were some of our favourite basketball gaming experiences in the past year?
• We each name our Game(s) of the Year. You’ll never guess what Arcane picked!
• Optimists that we are, we’re looking forward to 2014. What are we looking forward to, and what are some of our plans for the community?
• There’s no way we can pass up the opportunity to embarrass ourselves with some predictions, so we make a few for the NBA in 2014.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:17:12 — 41.9MB)

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We hope you’ve enjoyed another year of the NLSC Podcast; thank you again for all your support! If you have any thoughts on this week’s episode or any of the topics that we discussed, let us know in the comments below or in this thread. As always, feel free to hit us up with any submissions for future installments of the listener mailbag.

With JaoSming battling some temporary issues with his Internet connection, Episode #58 of the NLSC Podcast features the dynamic duo of Arcane and myself. Join us as we talk about the latest NBA Live 14 and NBA 2K14 news, our recent experiences with both games and the recent happenings in the NBA.

• We begin with some housekeeping matters and community news. With any luck, forthcoming server upgrades will prevent some of the downtime that we’ve been experiencing lately.
• The new version of RED MC with support for NBA 2K14 is out now! We should be seeing some excellent mods from our community in the near future.
• Millertime2325 is working on an update for the SNES version of NBA Jam Tournament Edition, which should be fun.
• A couple of issues have been plaguing NBA 2K14 next gen recently, including lengthy load times when playing offline and controversy surrounding VC. We weigh in on the situation.
• We talk about our latest experiences with NBA 2K14. Andrew wants your gaming tips!
• Ben’s still waiting on his copy of NBA Live 14, but he has some more impressions based on the demo.
• We discuss the most recent roster updates for NBA Live 14 and NBA 2K14. Is Synergy’s automated system ultimately hindering NBA Live’s roster updates?
• Moving on to the real NBA, we offer a couple of thoughts on the trade that sent Rudy Gay to the Sacramento Kings.
• We also talk about Kobe’s return, Stephen Jackson’s signing with the Clippers and a couple of other recent news items from around the league.
• The NBL gets brief, obligatory mention.
• We wrap up this week’s episode with some talk about other PlayStation 4 games that we’re currently playing.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:32:33 — 50.1MB)

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Let us know what you thought of this week’s show and give us your take on any of the topics that we discussed (including those tips for NBA 2K14) in the comments below, as well as in this thread in the Forum. Also feel free to hit us up with any submissions for future installments of the listener mailbag.

Episode #57 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! Arcane, JaoSming and I are your hosts this week as we’re joined by special guest Vl@d Zola Jr., creator of the fantastic RED MC and REDitor tools for the NBA 2K series.

• We welcome Vl@d to the Podcast and talk a little about what RED MC means for the modding community.
• What are some of the cool things we can expect from RED MC this year? When can we expect to see it?
• Andrew and Ben are finally on PlayStation 4 and can offer hands-on impressions of NBA 2K14 next gen. The results may surprise you.
• Ben is waiting for his copy of NBA Live 14 to arrive, but Andrew has the game and a few initial impressions to share.
• JaoSming also offers his latest thoughts on both games, including the troubles with NBA Live 14’s updates.
• Do we expect our impressions of both games to change as we continue to play them, especially with the forthcoming patches?
• We wrap up with some NBA talk and a cliffhanger (of sorts).

Click Play to listen to the show!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 2:08:26 — 67.1MB)

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Let us know what you thought of this week’s episode, as well as your opinion on any of the topics that we discussed, either in the comments below or here in the NLSC Hub section of the Forum. If you’d like to submit a question, comment or topic suggestions for a future episode of the NLSC Podcast, hit us up in the comments or the mailbag thread.

Episode #56 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! Join Arcane, JaoSming, Pdub and myself as we discuss the upcoming patches for NBA Live 14 and NBA 2K14 next gen, offer more impressions of both games and talk about the latest news and events from around the NBA.

• NBA Live 14 Executive Producer Sean O’Brien has posted an open letter promising improvements to the game. Do we think the biggest issues can be fixed?
• JaoSming and Pdub offer some more thoughts on NBA Live 14 after another week of playing the game.
• NBA 2K14 next gen will also be receiving a patch to correct a couple of issues with saves and connectivity.
• The Park has been ruined for JaoSming, but apart from that, NBA 2K14 next gen is still generally awesome.
• We wrap up the video game discussion with some news from the modding community.
• Moving on to the NBA discussion, Derrick Rose is out of action…again. Is it time to blow up the Bulls?
• Kobe Bryant’s big extension and the fans’ subsequent reactions are discussed. Where do the Lakers go from here?
• We offer some very early predictions for the 2014 All-Star game. Picking players for the East is no easy task.
• The lacklustre Eastern Conference and early season surprises round out this week’s NBA discussion.
• We wrap up Episode #56 with a couple of mailbag questions.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:50:58 — 58.3MB)

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If you’ve got any thoughts on this week’s episode or any of the topics that we discussed, we’d love to hear them. Have your say in the comments below, as well as in this thread in the Forum. Please also feel free to hit us up with mailbag submissions for future episodes here.

It’s our last show before we get our hands on the PlayStation 4! Well, for one of us, anyway. Join Arcane, JaoSming and myself for Episode #54 of the NLSC Podcast, in which we cover the latest NBA Live 14 and NBA 2K14 news, chat about the NBA and more.

• As we get closer to the release of NBA Live 14, we’re getting some encouraging news by way of various hands-on previews. We react to the latest information.
• A demo has also been confirmed, but it’s coming out the same day that the game is launched. Can that still work in EA Sports’ favour?
• The latest developer blog gives us more information on LIVE Season and BIG Moments. JaoSming makes a startling confession.
• JaoSming and Arcane provide a few thoughts on the latest screenshots.
• The past week has delivered a lot of details on MyGM in NBA 2K14 next gen. Do we still have any reservations about the mode?
• Next gen MyCAREER tidbits have also been coming our way. Jackson Ellis awaits us all.
• Over 600 player and coach interviews are included in NBA 2K14 next gen, with real voices. We can’t wait to hear what virtual Gregg Popovich has to say.
• You may be surprised to learn that JaoSming is excited for The Park. We also have a few creative ideas for the mode.
• We give our thoughts on some other NBA 2K14 next gen news including IGN’s review, the PS4 trophies and the latest videos.
• Larry Sanders’ blunder, the Celtics’ winning streak and other early season surprises make up this week’s NBA discussion.
• We wrap up the show with our thoughts on some recent PlayStation 4 news.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 2:13:02 — 68.7MB)

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As always, we welcome your thoughts on the latest episode, as well as anything we discussed. Have your say in the comments below or in the Podcast discussion thread! We also invite you to send in your listener mailbag questions and topic suggestions for future episodes.