Ratings

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In NBA Live, player performance during gameplay is determined by ratings in different categories such as field goal shooting, dunking and shot blocking. Since the use of DSTATS was discontinued in NBA Live 2004, player ratings have also influenced simulated statistical performance. From NBA Live 95 up until NBA Live 2003, player ratings ranged from 50 to 99 (99 being the best). In NBA Live 2004 and NBA Live 2005, ratings ranged from 0 to 99 (99 being the best) and from NBA Live 06 onwards, ratings have ranged from 1 to 99 (99 again being the best).

Traditional Ratings Definitions[edit]

These ratings appear in most of the NBA Live games up until NBA Live 08 PC. Some of them appear in the newer versions of the game or have been rebranded with similar names.

  • Field Goals: Determines a player's ability to make regular jumpshots.
  • Three Pointers: Determines a player's ability to make three pointers.
  • Free Throws: Determines a player's ability to make free throws. The higher the rating, the larger the margin for error. In older titles, the T-Meter also moves slower. This rating is usually equal to a player's free throw shooting percentage in real life.
  • Dunking: Determines a player's ability to make dunks. Before the introduction of Dunk Packages, it also determined the range of dunks a player could perform.
  • Inside Scoring: Determines a player's ability to score in the post. Higher ratings will allow players to finish in the post more often.
  • Offensive Rebounds: Determines a player's ability to grab offensive rebounds.
  • Jumping: Determines a player's leaping ability. It is used in conjunction with the Dunking rating when assigning a created player a Dunk Package and in later games is a factor in assigning Highflyer abilities.
  • Strength: Determines a player's strength. Stronger players can back down defenders more easily and won't get pushed around as much.
  • Quickness: Refers to a player's lateral quickness and the speed at which they can change direction.
  • Speed: Refers to a player's footspeed. Higher ratings allow a player to sprint faster.
  • Passing: Determines a player's passing accuracy, as well as influencing his assist numbers.
  • Dribbling: Determines a player's ballhandling skills.
  • Offensive Awareness: Refers to a player's overall offensive abilities. Players with higher awareness are capable of being more potent scorers and smarter playmakers.
  • Defensive Rebounds: Determines a player's ability to grab defensive rebounds.
  • Stealing: Determines a player's ability to make steals and intercept passes.
  • Blocking: Determines a player's ability to block shots.
  • Defensive Awareness: Refers to a player's overall defensive abilities. Players with higher awareness are tougher defenders and more adept at stopping players man-to-man.
  • Stamina: Determines how quickly a player will tire and recover his energy. Players with higher ratings will fatigue slower and recover energy sooner.
  • Hardiness: Determines the likelihood of a player being injured. Higher ratings indicate sturdier players.
  • Clutch: Determines a player's ability to perform under pressure and hit game winning shots.
  • Primacy: Determines a player's role in the offense and whether he is the "go to" player. Players with higher ratings will attempt more shots.

Newer Ratings Definitions[edit]

These ratings appear in the more recent editions of NBA Live, being introduced with the Xbox 360/Playstation versions of the game. Ratings that also appear in older versions of the game do not appear in this list.


  • Max Speed: Determines the maximum speed at which a player can run.
  • Agility: Determines a player's overall agility.
  • Acceleration: Determines how quickly a player can reach a full sprint.
  • Vertical: Determines a player's vertical leaping ability. The higher the rating, the higher a player can jump.
  • Conditioning: Determines whether or not a player can stay in shape and avoid injury in Dynasty Mode.
  • Lateral Quickness: Determines how quickly a player can move side-to-side. Higher ratings allow players to be better defenders, since they are quick enough to stay in front of their man.
  • Recovery Quickness: Determines how quickly a player can recover when faked out by an offensive player or have elevated for a block or rebound. The higher the ratings, the faster they'll be able to recover from a misstep.
  • First Step: Determines how quick a player's "first step" is. The higher the rating, the better the player is at exploding past defenders.
  • Dribbling Speed: Determines a player's dribbling speed. Better ballhandlers have higher ratings and take quicker dribbles as a result, which are more difficult to knock loose for steals.
  • Offensive Rebounding Strength: Determines a player's ability to out-muscle opponents for offensive rebounds. Players with higher ratings are more effective on the offensive glass.
  • Post Strength: A companion to the traditional Strength rating which determines a player's strength when posting up. Players with higher ratings are less likely to get pushed around when posting up.
  • Inside Shooting Likelihood: Determines the likelihood that a player will attempt a shot in the paint. High ratings will result in the player taking more shots inside, a lower rating will result in a player taking more shots from the perimeter.
  • Inside Shooting Ability: Determines how good a player is at knocking down shots in the paint when they take them.
  • Lay-up/Dunk Aggressiveness: Determines how aggressively a player will attack the basket when attempting a dunk or layup. The more aggressive a player is, the more often they'll attempt dunks and layups when trying to finish around the basket.
  • Dunk vs Layup Frequency: Much like the slider, this rating determines whether a player is more likely to attempt a dunk or layup. The higher the slider, the more likely a player is to dunk while a low rating will result in more layups.
  • Lay-Up Ability: Determines the player's ability to make layups.
  • Lay-Up in Traffic: Determines the player's ability to make layups in traffic (ie when there are a lot of defenders in the paint).
  • Dunk/Lay-Up Shot Off:
  • Put-Backs: Determines how often a player attempts put-backs on offensive rebounds.
  • Scoring with Contact: Determines how adept a player is at finishing after drawing contact. Higher ratings mean the player is better at completing the shot after taking a bump.
  • Drawing Defensive Foul: Determines how adept a player is at drawing the defensive foul. Higher rated players will be able to draw more fouls while lower rated players will get fewer calls.
  • Penetration Effectiveness: Determines how effective a player is at getting into the lane.
  • Hands in Post: Determines whether a player has "good hands" in post up situations. Higher ratings result in fewer fumbled passes and fewer strips by the defense.
  • Offensive Rebounding IQ: Determines how intelligent a player is in going for offensive rebounds. Higher ratings mean greater intelligence, which in turn means a player is more likely to succeed in battling defenders for an offensive rebound.
  • Offensive Sink or Swim: Determines a player's likelihood of succeeding offensively in high pressure situations. Higher rated players are ultimately more dependable.
  • Offensive Box Out: Determines a player's use of boxing out when going for offensive rebounds. Higher rated players will box out more often and more effectively.
  • Post Savvy: Determines a player's savvy/creativity/intelligence when posting up. Higher rated players are more effective in the post when it comes to outplaying the defense.
  • Offensive Post Footwork: Determines whether or not a player has good footwork when posting up on offense. Higher ratings result in players having better footwork, making them more effective with the ball down low.
  • Outside Shooting Likelihood: Determines the likelihood of a player attempting outside shots. Higher ratings identify a perimeter player while players with a poor outside game will have lower ratings.
  • Outside Shooting Ability: Determines a player's ability to knock down outside shots when they take them.
  • Mid-Range Shooting Likelihood: Determines the likelihood of a player attempting mid-range shots. Higher ratings will result in a player taking more mid-range jumpshots.
  • Shooting Touch: Determines how well a player can shoot. Higher rated players have a more dependable jumpshot while lower rated players are not as dependable.
  • Shooter's Mentality: Determines how much a player is inclined to attempt shots. Higher ratings identify a player looking for their own shot while a lower rated player will be less inclined to take a lot of attempts.
  • Mid-Range Shooting Ability: Determines a player's ability to knock down mid-range shots when they take them.
  • Triple Threat Effectivesness: Determines how effective a player is out of the triple thread position.
  • Hands on Perimeter: Determines how well a player can protect the ball and receive passes while playing on the perimeter.
  • Foul Mistakes: Determines the likelihood of a player committing a bad foul.
  • Defensive Rebounding Strength: Determines a player's ability to outmuscle other players when going for defensive rebounds. Higher rated players are more successful on the defensive boards.
  • Defensive Rebounding IQ: Determines how intelligent a player is in going for defensive rebounds. Higher ratings mean greater intelligence, which in turn means a player is more likely to succeed in boxing out offensive players for a defensive rebound.
  • Defensive Sink or Swim: Determines a player's likelihood of succeeding defensively in high pressure situations. Higher rated players are ultimately more dependable.
  • Defensive Box Out: Determines a player's use of boxing out when going for defensive rebounds. Higher rated players will box out more often and more effectively.
  • On-Ball Effectiveness: Determines a player's ability to effectively defend the player with the ball. Higher rated players are more difficult to shake and beat off the dribble.
  • Shot Block: Determines a player's ability to block shots.
  • Shot Alter: Determines a player's ability to alter shots by getting a hand in the shooter's face.
  • Steal: Determines a player's ability to knock the ball loose from a ballhandler and complete a steal.
  • Interception: Determines a player's ability to intercept passes.
  • Double Team Ability: Determines a player's ability to successfully double team an opponent with one of their teammates. Players with higher ratings will be better at forcing ballhandlers to pick up their dribble and knocking the ball loose when they help double up on a player.
  • Tenacity: Determines how tenacious a player is defensively. Higher rated players will play defense with more focus and aggressiveness while lower rated players will be less effective and more disinterested defenders.
  • Drawing Offensive Foul: Determines a player's ability to draw charges. Higher rated players will be able to draw more charges while lower rated players will fail to get the call or be called for blocking fouls more often.
  • Pass Lane Defense Effectiveness: Determines how effectively a player can play the passing lanes, either forcing a turnover or simply preventing a player from getting in a good position to receive the pass.
  • Help-Side Effectiveness: Determines a player's ability to rotate defensively to close gaps and block shots.
  • Close Out Effectiveness: Determines how effective a player is at closing out offensive players.
  • Hedging the Screen: Determines how effective a player is at avoiding the screen and picking up his man.
  • Fighting through the Screen: Determines how effective a player is at fighting through screens to stay with their man.
  • Defensive Post Footwork: Determines whether or not a player has good defensive footwork in the post. Higher rated players are less likely to be left flat footed by players posting up and are more adept at staying between the basket and their man.
  • Defensive Post Strength: Determines a player's strength when defending in the post. Higher rated players are less likely to be pushed around by offensive players posting up.
  • Mental Toughness: Determines a player's composure on the court. Higher rated players are less likely to be rattled or respond poorly to high pressure situations.
  • Hustle: Determines a player's ability to do the dirty work, going for loose balls, getting back on defense and the like.
  • Go-To-Guy: Determines how often a team will look for a player on offense, similar to the old Primacy rating. Higher rated players will attempt more shots.
  • Court Vision: Determines how well a player sees the court. Players with higher ratings will be able to make better passes and find gaps in the defense.
  • Pass Accuracy: Determines the accuracy of a player's passes. Higher rated players will throw better passes that are less likely to be intercepted .
  • Difficult Pass Ability: Determines a player's ability to successfully complete more difficult passes.
  • Double Team Composure: Determines how greatly a player is affected by a double team. Higher ratings will allow a player to remain calm and maintain better control of the ball when the double team comes, while lower rated players will be easier to shut down with a double team.
  • Setting Screens: Determines how effective a player is at setting screens for teammates.
  • Using Screens: Determines how effective a player is at using screens set by their teammates.
  • Fastbreak Anticipation: Determines how intelligent a player is when it comes to anticipating a fastbreak and then getting out on the break.
  • Off-Ball Awareness: Determines a player's intelligence at playing without the ball. Higher rated players will take advantage of defensive lapses and are more adept at getting into a good position to receive the pass and score.

Overall Ratings[edit]

Each player is assigned an overall rating which is calculated from his individual ratings. The overall rating is utilised in trades in later games as a means of determining fair value and as such its importance is at times overrated. It is preferable to focus on making sure the individual ratings are correct so that a player's abilities reflect his real life counterpart rather than boosting or decreasing ratings so that the overall appears better. Generally speaking, focusing on correct individual ratings will produce an accurate and fair overall rating.

Editing Ratings[edit]

Editing Ratings in NBA Live 07

Ratings can be modified from within the game in all editions that feature Edit Player and externally through DBF editing (or in the case of the earlier games, the unofficial editors). Some attributes are hidden and can only be modified externally. This has caused some problems in the past as hidden ratings are often automatically recalculated by the game and as such do not always produce desirable results.

When modifying ratings through the DBF, it is important to remember that the game will not automatically recalculate the overall rating or assign Freestyle Superstars abilities. It is therefore advisable to make as many changes from within the game as possible and to enter Edit Player after making changes in the DBF and exit saving changes to force the game to perform a recalculation.

Links[edit]