NLSC Your source for basketball video games.

Episode #394 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! Derek (aka Dee4Three) and I are your hosts for this weekly podcast that’s all about basketball gaming.

The Saga of the Missing Pre-Order has come to an end – sort of – which means we have further impressions of NBA 2K22 Next Gen to share! They’re mostly positive, though we do have some criticisms of the MyTEAM economy and MyCAREER grind. We also touch on the most recent patches for the game, and discuss a refreshingly honest review that brings up many of the issues we often make a point of covering. From the impact of recurrent revenue mechanics to the reality of 2K fatigue, we’re clearly not alone in our views on basketball gaming! A Windows 10 upgrade has also opened up new gaming opportunities with Parsec, including our semi-finals series in the NBA Live 10 Tournament. Finally, this week’s mailbag includes suggestions from the community for new classic teams.

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:50:09 — 76.0MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Join in the conversation in the comments below, or here in the Forum! Additionally, feel free to hit us up with any feedback on the episode, as well as mailbag questions and topic suggestions for future shows. For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. The show also comes out on our YouTube channel, so be sure to subscribe for future episodes and other video content.

It’s time to enjoy some virtual hardwood highlights in the NLSC Top 10 Plays of the Week! This is a weekly feature curated by Derek (aka Dee4Three) spotlighting the best plays from the basketball gaming community, which includes a few of our own memorable clips from time to time. Submit your clips in the Forum, or hit up Derek on Twitter!

This week’s NLSC Top 10 Plays is full of dunks, but I think you’ll agree that in real life and in video games alike, it’s difficult to go past aerial artistry. Some of the plays leading up to the slams are mesmerising in their own right, and once again, a variety of titles are represented in the countdown. In particular, it’s great to see less talked about games such as NBA Live Mobile and NCAA March Madness 2001 in the highlights. It’s also obvious that my NBA 2K14 kick hasn’t ended just yet.

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 spectacular moments on the virtual hardwood or blacktop. All basketball games are welcome, new and old! Also, be sure to subscribe to us on YouTube for more basketball gaming videos.

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 fleeting moments that have been preserved in official rosters.

It’s a phrase that I’m no doubt overusing in my articles and on the NLSC Podcast, but basketball video games are interactive almanacs, preserving a snapshot of the season they were released in. It’s not always a completely accurate picture, of course. Older games didn’t receive official roster updates, and were guaranteed to be outdated by the time they were released. It’s how we ended up with players who appeared in more video games than real NBA games, or on teams they ultimately never suited up for. Nevertheless, with or without updates, games preserve a moment in NBA history.

However, depending on when the games were released and what kind of updates they received, they can end up preserving some fleeting moments. Again, this is something that could technically be said of all games at launch, but I’m referring to particularly noteworthy or unusual examples such as stints that were only accounted for due to a late release, or specific lineups that represent a very precise time. Also, although I’m technically including it as an honourable mention by noting it here, I’m foregoing the example of Michael Redd on the Mavericks, as I’ve covered it plenty of times before! With that being said, here are some fleeting moments, and the games they’re found in.

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Today’s file additions for NBA 2K14 PC include court updates for the New Orleans Pelicans and Portland Trail Blazers, and a new face for Craig Hodges. Check them out at the links below!

z3r0
20-21 New Orleans Pelicans Stadiums (z3r0)
20-21 Portland Trail Blazers Stadiums (z3r0)

IceCr
Craig Hodges Face (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.

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 Michael Jordan and his time with the Washington Wizards, as well as its impact on video games.

For those keeping track, it was twenty years ago this Saturday that Michael Jordan announced that he was coming out of retirement to play for the Washington Wizards. Although it’s a chapter in his career that many people gloss over, MJ’s Wizards years did have their bright moments. His second comeback and third NBA stint overall also had an obvious effect on basketball video games, especially given his history on the virtual hardwood throughout most of the 90s. In that regard, it actually had more of an impact than when he said “I’m Back” almost 27 years ago!

As a Michael Jordan fan and avid basketball gamer who had just taken over running the NLSC, his comeback with the Wizards stands out quite vividly in my memory. Given that it’s the 20th Anniversary of a comeback that saw His Airness become a familiar face in a strange place, I felt that it would only be appropriate to reflect on both the real event, and how it affected basketball games. Let’s take a look back…way back…

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Here is the first batch of file additions for NBA 2K22 PC! Releases include Dee4Three’s conversions of his NBA 2K21 face updates, and a Mavericks jersey update by pinoy21. Download them all at the links below!

pinoy21
Dallas Mavericks Jersey

Dee4Three
The Mask Cyberface by Dee4Three
Walter McCarty Cyberface by Dee4Three
Jim Jackson Cyberface by Dee4Three
Smush Parker Cyberface by Dee4Three
Mark Blount Cyberface by Dee4Three

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 some reflections on being at the upper end of the basketball gaming demographic.

For all the criticism that The Simpsons receives for staying on the air as long as it has, it continues to be referenced in memes. Such is its impact on pop culture, and online discourse. There are two references to The Simpsons that are frequently trotted out to comment on age, and not surprisingly, they both involve that lovable curmudgeon, Abraham Simpson. In a flashback where a young Homer mocks Abe for being out of touch, Abe very ominously warns that when it comes to no longer being “with it“, it’ll also happen to Homer one day. Abe is also the infamous old man yelling at a cloud.

Now that I’m around Homer’s canonical age, I have to admit that I’m starting to feel what he felt in that episode. At the same time, I also relate to what Abe was talking about. Even though we Millennials are still copping flak from older generations, to Gen Z, we’re “old heads“, too. We grew up admiring different players, and the video games we played didn’t have microtransactions. Our expectations are therefore quite different, and it’s apparent that many features are not aimed at us. As I said, I’m far closer to Homer in age than I am to Abe, but as I find myself at the upper end of the basketball gaming demographic, Grampa’s warning thus feels increasingly apt.

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Episode #393 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! Derek (aka Dee4Three) and I are your hosts for this weekly podcast that’s all about basketball gaming.

A first round series in the NLSC NBA Live 10 Tournament concluded with a fittingly competitive contest. On a more unfortunate note, postal delays continue to keep the PlayStation 5 version of NBA 2K22 from reaching one of us, but the other has some further impressions to share. We discuss the state of MyTEAM in this year’s game, and provide an update on an issue with the PC version. We also talk about balance, and frustration with criticism being dismissed out of hand. After NBA 2K16 comes up, we’re moved to reflect on the history of issues with retro teams, and the Hall of Fame Ratings scale. In a reversal of last week’s mailbag, we also talk about the worst basketball game launches, as well as some of the most frustrating mechanics over the years.

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:48:41 — 75.0MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Join in the conversation in the comments below, or here in the Forum! Additionally, feel free to hit us up with any feedback on the episode, as well as mailbag questions and topic suggestions for future shows. For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. The show also comes out on our YouTube channel, so be sure to subscribe for future episodes and other video content.

It’s time to enjoy some virtual hardwood highlights in the NLSC Top 10 Plays of the Week! This is a weekly feature curated by Derek (aka Dee4Three) spotlighting the best plays from the basketball gaming community, which includes a few of our own memorable clips from time to time. Submit your clips in the Forum, or hit up Derek on Twitter!

Needless to say, this week’s NLSC Top 10 Plays features some entertaining highlights from the newly released NBA 2K22. However, even with the excitement of a new game, it’s clear that plenty of older titles are still getting a run. From NBA Live 06 and NBA Live 10 to NBA 2K10 and NBA 2K14, a variety of old favourites remain in the rotation, producing an array of impressive plays. Dunks, trick shots, and crafty moves are all on display in another Top 10 countdown that I’m sure everyone will enjoy.

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 spectacular moments on the virtual hardwood or blacktop. All basketball games are welcome, new and old! Also, be sure to subscribe to us on YouTube for more basketball gaming videos.

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 basketball video games where every player is able to dunk.

I realise the three-pointer is in vogue these days, but I’m all about a flashy dunk. In fact, I’m old enough to remember when the debate was between dazzling dunks and basketball bloopers! To be fair, it’s not as though the dunk has gone completely out of style. Dunks still make the highlight reels, and many gamers who play MyCAREER and its connected modes want a build that can throw it down just as well as stroke a three. Sure, it’s only two points like any other shot within the three-point arc, and analytics insists twos are bad, but many of us are still suckers for spectacular slams.

In real life, while it’s assumed that everyone who makes it to the NBA can probably dunk – even if it’s just a rim grazer – not everybody does. Smaller players who threw it down in college tend to dunk far less in the NBA, where there are bigger and stronger defenders crowding the paint. Sim games usually reflect this, with a combination of ratings and animation packages that ensure specific players will only ever perform layups. Arcade titles naturally take liberties with reality, but even a few sim-oriented games aren’t very strict about which players can slam it home. If dunks are your thing, here are five basketball video games where every player is able to throw it down.

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Today’s file additions for NBA 2K20 feature the latest retro courts from Bassman58. Note that these updates are also compatible with NBA 2K21 and NBA 2K22 PC. Download them all at the links below!

Bassman58
Denver Nuggets 2007-08 Pepsi Center
Golden State Warriors 2006-07 Oracle Arena
Phoenix Suns 2002-03 America West Arena
Portland Trail Blazers 2009-10 Rose Garden
San Antonio Spurs 2004-05 AT&T Center
Washington Wizards 2006-07 Verizon Center

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 Procedural Awareness in NBA Live 07 for Xbox 360.

The Xbox 360 version of NBA Live 07 has the dubious reputation of being one of the worst games in the NBA Live series. My stance has slightly softened, if only because some of the eighth generation titles turned out to be considerably rough in their own right, not to mention disappointing given the advances in technology and expectations placed upon them. Nevertheless, while there’s a certain novelty in dusting it off, NBA Live 07 for Xbox 360 is not my first choice for retro basketball gaming. Unlike its immediate predecessor, it wasn’t a solid gameplay experience mired in controversy.

While the team at EA Canada did err in their attempts to rebuild the series with NBA Live 07, the game did feature a few meritorious technological improvements. Two of the most-hyped innovations during the preview season were foot-planting technology, and procedural awareness. The former didn’t pan out quite as well as hoped, as the improvements to foot-planting were offset by other animation issues. The latter wasn’t quite the game-changer we were hoping for either, but fortunately it didn’t have any adverse affects. What was it all about? Let’s take a look back…way back…

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Although NBA 2K21 modding will likely slow down somewhat with the release of NBA 2K22, we do have some new file additions for last year’s game. Pick up a face for Mantzoukas Lefteris at the link below!

WANKELL
Mantzoukas Lefteris 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 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 discussion of why we defend games, to the point where we downplay issues and even pretend that they don’t exist.

This is a difficult topic to broach without sounding snobby, or as though I’m accusing anyone who likes something that I dislike of being ignorant, easily pleased, or a shill. That line of thinking is just as toxic and unconstructive as fanboyism and shilling, and equally fallacious. We all have different tastes and expectations, as well as thresholds of satisfaction and disappointment. When someone sees fit to defend games that they enjoy, there isn’t necessarily anything pretend about it. Those are their honest feelings about the game, and genuine reasons for their enjoyment.

And yet, there are times that we do pretend when we defend games. We’ve all done it at some point. It doesn’t always mean that we don’t enjoy them, but to a certain extent we’re lying – both to others and to ourselves – about a game’s overall quality (or lack thereof). In the most extreme cases, it is indeed shilling for a title, or at the very least fanboyism polluting the discourse. However, there are innocent and understandable reasons that we attempt to pretend that everything’s fine and defend games; even when there’s no drawback to being critical (or indeed, it would actually benefit us to speak out on the issues). Unfortunately, they make it difficult to curb the habit.

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Episode #392 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! Derek (aka Dee4Three) and I are your hosts for this weekly podcast that’s all about basketball gaming.

NBA 2K22 is out, and many people are calling it the best NBA 2K game ever. We’re not so sure about that, but we do have some initial impressions to share, including lists of pros and cons for Current Gen and Next Gen. An issue with the PC release will also hopefully be sorted out ASAP. The addition of Evan Eschmeyer to the 2003 Mavericks prompts us to share some interesting trivia about his career, and its impact on the virtual hardwood. Elsewhere, the NBA Live 10 Tournament rolls on with some exciting games, and NBA 2K14 continues to be a captivating retro kick. In this week’s mailbag, we’re reflecting on some memorable basketball video game launches, and titles that impressed us from Day One.

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:50:48 — 76.4MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Join in the conversation in the comments below, or here in the Forum! Additionally, feel free to hit us up with any feedback on the episode, as well as mailbag questions and topic suggestions for future shows. For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. The show also comes out on our YouTube channel, so be sure to subscribe for future episodes and other video content.