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NLSC Top 10 Plays of the Week: July 17th, 2021

NLSC Top 10 Plays of the Week

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!

On top of the usual assortment of dunks and alley-oops – which are always spectacular – this week’s Top 10 Plays features some “I can’t believe that happened/worked!” moments. It’s always satisfying to experience such organic highlights, and I’m sure you’ll agree that they’re fun to watch when they happen for your fellow gamers, too! Once again we have quite a variety of games in this week’s countdown, including a first time appearance from NBA Live Mobile. Remember, if it’s a great moment in a basketball video game, it’s eligible for the Top 10!

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.

NBA 2K19 Classic Seasons Mods Now Available

NBA 2K19 Classic Seasons Mods

If you’ve tuned in to the NLSC Podcast as of late, you will have heard Dee4Three and I talking about the Classic Seasons mods for NBA 2K19 PC, created by Stildo33 and company. With the server shutdown last year, it’s obviously been more difficult for the rosters to be distributed.

Fortunately, that’s no longer the case! Stildo33 has uploaded the rosters so that they can be downloaded the “old-fashioned” way, along with the necessary art packs. You can find all of the download links here in the NBA 2K19 Modding section.

Presently, the Classic Seasons mods for NBA 2K19 cover 1988-89 through to 1993-94. The releases that are currently available came out last December, but new versions are being worked on. Additionally, further seasons are also in the pipeline, with the 1995 mod already well under way.

If you’re still playing NBA 2K19 PC, and even if you’re not, I highly recommend checking out the mods. A lot of care and attention to detail has gone into them, and as you can see from the videos and screenshots users of the mod have been posting, it’s resulted in highly accurate performance. The mods have been put to good use in games being played over Parsec, and you can check out some highlights over on our YouTube channel. Congratulations and thanks to Stildo33 and company for all of their hard work so far!

The Friday Five: 5 Cover Players You May Not Recall (Part 2)

The Friday Five

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 another list of cover players that you may not recall being the face of a game.

In my first Friday Five article on cover players that you may not recall, I focused on international/alternate covers that likely flew under the radar for even the keenest of hoops gamers. For Part 2, I’m focusing on players who were the main/only cover athlete for their respective titles, but due to either their standing in the league at the time, their game being somewhat overlooked and forgotten, or a combination of the two, they’re less likely to be remembered for being cover players at one point. That’s not to say nobody recalls their appearances on covers, but it’s easy enough to forget.

Looking back, there have been some unusual and surprising cover players. There are explanations, of course. As basketball games have become more popular, the choice of cover player has become more significant, if only as an indication of the strength of the brand. Younger players who grew up with video games naturally tend to be more excited about endorsing them, likely viewing them the same way older players looked upon appearing on a Wheaties box or the cover of Sports Illustrated. On top of that, when there were more NBA games on the market, not every title could secure a top star. With that being said, here are five more cover players that may surprise you.

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NBA 2K22 Covers Revealed; PC Version & Pre-Order Bonuses

NBA 2K22 Cover Art

The preview season for NBA 2K22 has officially tipped off with the reveal of the covers, and it turns out the leaks were accurate! Luka Doncic will appear on the standard edition cover of NBA 2K22, while the NBA 75th Anniversary cover will feature Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Dirk Nowitzki, and Kevin Durant. Additionally, a cover featuring Candace Parker will be a GameStop exclusive.

NBA 2K22 will be coming out September 10th, 2021. The game is already available to pre-order, and this year’s bonuses have been revealed. As in previous years, the pre-order bonuses include VC, MT, MyTEAM packs, and boosts and gear for your MyPLAYER. See below for the full breakdown of the bonuses for each edition.

Unfortunately, it’s been confirmed that the PC version of NBA 2K22 will be a Prior Gen port (i.e. identical to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One), and will not include any Next Gen features. On a more positive note, while there won’t be any cross-platform play, MyTEAM progression will carry across on the same console family, as was the case in NBA 2K21.

Check out the NBA 2K22 covers below, leave your thoughts in the comments, and join in the discussion taking place here in the Forum! I’ve also created an article for NBA 2K22 here in our Wiki, and as always, your help in keeping it up to date would be appreciated. Let the preview season begin!

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Wayback Wednesday: NBA Live 07; Worst Game or Not?

Wayback Wednesday: NBA Live 07; Worst Game or Not?

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 another look back at NBA Live 07, and considering whether or not it’s still the worst game in the NBA Live series.

Since I followed up with further impressions of NBA Live 06 on Xbox 360 after my retrospective for our 25th Anniversary of NBA Live celebrations, I’ve decided to take another look back at NBA Live 07. As with the aforementioned article, I’d originally planned to do this as part of some “overtime” 25th Anniversary content, but at this point, I feel it would be more appropriate to repurpose those ideas for my Wayback Wednesday features. After all, we’re now significantly past the dates marking the 25th Anniversary of NBA Live on both console (1994) and PC (March 1995).

Although I do stand by what I said in my previous retrospective, sometimes games are worth a second or third look with fresher eyes and different perspectives. I found that I liked the Xbox 360 version of NBA Live 06 much better after giving it another chance and adjusting to its style of play. I’ve also developed a greater appreciation for NBA Live 10. It admittedly seems a very unlikely prospect with NBA Live 07, as it has a well-earned reputation as one of the worst games in the series, if not the worst NBA Live release. Nevertheless, I’m interested in giving it one more chance, and drawing some comparisons to other flawed titles. Let’s take a look back…way back…

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File Additions for NBA 2K13

NBA 2K13 Cover Art

Here are the latest file additions for NBA 2K13! Today’s releases include Pyromania1983’s fictional jerseys for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Boston Celtics, and Dallas Mavericks, and the latest version of PatTheHead’s retro roster pack featuring hundreds of new face updates by Oldstyle2k. Download all of today’s NBA 2K13 file additions at the links below!

Pyromania1983
Pyromania1983’s Fictional Oklahoma City Thunder Uniform Concepts
Pyromania1983’s Fictional Boston Celtics Uniform Concepts
Pyromania1983’s Fictional Dallas Mavericks Uniform Concepts

PatTheHead
1946/47 to 1989/90 ABA + NBA Seasons (Updated to v5.6)

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.

Monday Tip-Off: AI Players in Online Modes

Monday Tip-Off: AI Players in Online Modes

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 by tackling a controversial issue in NBA 2K: the use of AI Players in online modes.

I’ve covered several topics related to online modes in NBA 2K, from gatekeeping and elitism to forced grinding and a lack of matchmaking. One issue that I haven’t touched upon all that much is the use of AI Players in the online arena. As you know if you’ve played MyCAREER’s connected online modes, AI Players are utilised in one of two ways. Either they make up the numbers when there aren’t enough users to completely fill both squads, or they take the place of a user when they quit or foul out of a game so that everyone else can keep playing.

The use of AI Players in online team play modes is particularly controversial, though. It ties into the aforementioned issues of matchmaking and elitism, but there are some legitimate complaints regarding the practice. The presence of AI Players in the online modes runs contrary to their very concept, yet at the same time, it facilitates them. It’s an issue where it’s impossible to cater to two very different preferences, at least with the current options and mechanics. Moving forward, it’s an issue that NBA 2K will have to resolve, but in the meantime, let’s take a look at both the drawbacks and the benefits of AI Players in online modes, and why the matter evokes strong opinions.

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NLSC Podcast #383: It’s Still All Speculation

NLSC Podcast Logo

Episode #383 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.

Before we started recording this week’s show, we played games of Double Dribble Playoff Edition and the SNES version of NBA Live 95. One holds up a little better than the other, but both were fun to revisit! Speaking of NBA Live, EA Sports are set to make an announcement regarding the return of one of their old series. Will it be their long-running NBA title, their college hoops series, or something else? Meanwhile, as the NBA 2K22 preview season looms, some apologists are already warming up their excuses. In this week’s mailbag, we’re talking about the peak era for basketball gaming, and underrated gameplay additions.

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.

NLSC Top 10 Plays of the Week: July 10th, 2021

NLSC Top 10 Plays of the Week

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!

No less than seven different titles are represented in this week’s NLSC Top 10 Plays of the Week. It’s great to see such variety in the games being played, on top of the selection of highlights they produced. As usual, you’ll see a couple of mods for PC on display, a handful of rim-rattling dunks, and some impressive performances in the clutch. Thanks to everyone who submitted clips this week! The top play might surprise you, but I’m sure you’ll agree that it stands out in its own right.

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.

The Friday Five: 5 Missed Opportunities in Basketball Gaming

The Friday Five

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 gaming opportunities that developers missed out on.

The phrase “hindsight is 20/20” aptly reminds us that it’s easy to suggest alternative strategies and solutions after the event. All of the information is now apparent to us, and we have tangible results to evaluate and critique. However, that doesn’t mean that we can’t have awareness and foresight in the moment. Furthermore, even with the benefit of hindsight, lessons don’t always stick. To that end, we may recall another useful idiom that was coined by George Santayana, but is often misattributed or paraphrased: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

I’m sure that you’ll agree that this applies to the many missed opportunities we’ve witnessed in basketball gaming. The full scope and impact of squandered chances and design choices isn’t always realised until years later, but we’re usually aware that it’s a bad idea at the time. As the years go by, it doesn’t get any less bewildering that these opportunities in the basketball gaming space – whether we’re talking sim or arcade games – are missed. These missed opportunities range from including appealing and beneficial content to fostering goodwill and creating excitement within the basketball gaming community. Here are five opportunities that developers let slip away.

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File Additions for NBA 2K14

NBA 2K14 Cover Art

Today’s file additions for NBA 2K14 PC include a 1950s court for the Boston Celtics, as well as fictional jersey packs for the Celtics, Oklahoma City Thunder, Dallas Mavericks. Download all of today’s NBA 2K14 file additions at the links below!

nbatak
1950s Boston Celtics Arena

Pyromania1983
Pyromania1983’s Fictional Oklahoma City Thunder Uniform Concepts
Pyromania1983’s Fictional Dallas Mavericks Uniform Concepts
Pyromania1983’s Fictional Boston Celtics Uniform Concepts

Ibano
Shakur Global

PandaGraphic
2021 30 Team Courts

ROMMEL2K
NBA 2K21 Presentation

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.

Wayback Wednesday: A New Appreciation for NBA Live 10

Wayback Wednesday: A New Appreciation for NBA Live 10

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 reflecting on the new appreciation that I have for NBA Live 10.

If you’ve been following along with my recent Wayback Wednesday features, you won’t be surprised to hear that I’ve developed a new appreciation for NBA Live 10 as of late. Despite a few gripes that I have with certain aspects of the game, my overall opinion of it has always been generally positive. I’m sure that came across when I covered the game with a retrospective for our 25th Anniversary of NBA Live celebrations. For the most part, I still stand by what I wrote in that article and my appraisal of NBA Live 10 as a fine game, but not the best release in the series.

To that end, this isn’t a revision of the impressions I shared in my retrospective, as was the case when I revisited NBA Live 06 on Xbox 360. Again, I’m not inclined to disagree with my previous comments on the quality, depth, and ranking of NBA Live 10 compared to other strong releases in the NBA Live series. However, I can now say that I’ve been able to make some new memories with the game upon it becoming my retro kick, and that has undoubtedly given me a new appreciation for the experience on offer in NBA Live 10. Before I move on to covering other games, I’m reflecting on why NBA Live 10 has inspired me to go back…way back…

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File Additions for NBA 2K17

NBA 2K17 Cover Art

In today’s file additions for NBA 2K17, our own Dee4Three has released a face for Clyde Drexler, converted from NBA 2K21. Pick it up at the link below!

Dee4Three
Clyde Drexler Face From 2K21 Converted to 2K17

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.

Monday Tip-Off: A Legends of the NBA Game

Monday Tip-Off: A Legends of the NBA Game

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 thoughts on the idea of a standalone Legends of the NBA type of game.

NBA 2K has done a phenomenal job with historical content over the past decade or so, at least in terms of quantity and innovation. The Jordan Challenge and NBA’s Greatest brought actual retro squads to the virtual hardwood in an official capacity, when for many years it appeared as though such teams would only ever be added through modding. MyTEAM has also made extensive use of historical players as both collectibles and challenges in its various modes of play. All-Decade teams have even returned. The only thing missing is a Legends Pool for historical roster projects.

Of course, while there’s no arguing with the quantity of historical content in NBA 2K – give or take a missing player here and there – there are issues with the quality. A number of NBA Legends and other retro players have inappropriate ratings, Badges, tendencies, and animations. As attention has turned to facilitating overpowered cards in MyTEAM, there’s been less focus on player accuracy, quite frankly to the point of sloppiness. Since there are gamers who are more interested in historical content than current rosters – and as it might allow for greater attention to detail – I’m intrigued by the idea of a standalone game that focuses solely on the Legends of the NBA.

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NLSC Podcast #382: A Community Connected

NLSC Podcast Logo

Episode #382 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.

We haven’t been able to get enough of Parsec as of late, but we’re not the only ones taking a shine to it. More members of the community are participating in head-to-head games, with Parsec facilitating clashes in NBA 2K17 and NBA 2K19 using retro season and classic team mods. Speaking of retro season mods, which is our favourite so far? As for NBA Live 10, it’s still on our agenda, as we’ve got plenty more ideas for Fantasy Teams mode! Fresh NBA 2K22 rumours give us something else to talk about this week, though we still miss the longer and more exciting preview seasons of yesteryear. In this week’s mailbag, we answer a question about the new Space Jam game, which leads us to reflect on some other esoteric games starring basketball players.

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.