Tag Archives: Commentary

We’re at midcourt, and the ball is about to go up…it’s Monday Tip-Off! Join me as I begin the week here at the NLSC with my opinions and commentary on basketball gaming topics, as well as tales of the fun I’ve been having on the virtual hardwood. This week, I’m tipping things off with some thoughts on how real agendas have been infiltrating the virtual commentary in basketball video games.

The other day, I saw a social media post praising the positivity of the NBA on Prime crew’s coverage of a Lakers game. It drew comparisons with Inside the NBA, opining that Shaq in particular would’ve been negative in his commentary. It echoes recent remarks from Nick Wright, who at least tried to couch his callout with compliments. Back in November last year, Nikola Jokic wrapped up an interview with the NBA on Prime crew by calling it “much better“; a not-too-subtle jab at the lack of positivity he’s endured from other analysts, including the notoriously petty Shaq.

As much as I have my quibbles with the modern game, I can’t entirely disagree. When I first got into basketball, the NBA and its stars were presented as being part of a great ongoing legacy. That’s how it should be today. The problem is that in recent times, past generations have been disrespected in a way that I couldn’t imagine back in the 90s. Talking heads like Nick Wright have been a big part of that smear campaign – the “plumbers and dentists” rhetoric – so it’s rich to hear him plead for intergenerational peace and respect now. It’s bad enough that agendas like his plague coverage of the real NBA, but these days we have to listen to them in video game commentary too.

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From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #609 of the NLSC Podcast!

During a recent podcast appearance, former NBA coach turned analyst Stan Van Gundy made some eyebrow-raising claims: specifically, that Nikola Jokic is the GOAT, Luka Doncic is the best offensive player of all-time, and that the best 20 players in NBA history have all played within the last 20 years. This week, we join the community in responding to these hot takes, as well as speculate on the motivations behind making them. There’s actually an interesting parallel with the basketball gaming community here! We also discuss a few other popular but nevertheless erroneous historical narratives that are about to complicate the GOAT debate, once fans and talking heads alike notice the contradictions.

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:00:39 — 42.0MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

To get involved with the mailbag or to provide any feedback on the show, hit us up in the comments, reach out on social media, or post here in the NLSC Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. You can also find the show on our YouTube channel, along with the rest of our video content. As always, thanks for tuning in, and go get buckets!

From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #592 of the NLSC Podcast!

Next up in the NBA 2K26 preview season is a deep dive into the presentation in this year’s game! To that end, this week we’re breaking down the Presentation Courtside Report and giving our thoughts on everything from the updated lighting, player models, and team arenas to the additions and enhancements to commentary, and other authentic details. In addition to our reactions, we also share what the community had to say about the insights into presentation in NBA 2K26. We also discuss some of our favourite virtual hardwood commentators, and name potential replacements for the current crop of announcers.

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 55:38 — 38.6MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

To get involved with the mailbag or to provide any feedback on the show, hit us up in the comments, reach out on social media, or post here in the NLSC Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. You can also find the show on our YouTube channel, along with the rest of our video content. As always, thanks for tuning in, and go get buckets!

Following on from last week’s insight into gameplay, the latest NBA 2K26 Courtside Report previews the presentation in this year’s game. It seems that we can expect a number of enhancements to the atmosphere and environmental details in NBA 2K26.

Some of the key improvements to presentation in NBA 2K26 include better late-game commentary, authentic arena details for every team, improved lighting, and more variety in the crowd. Tim Legler joins the commentary team, MyPLAYERs can be heckled during MyCAREER games, and championship banners will appear in the rafters as they’re won.

I’ve summarised the Courtside Report below, but as always, I’d encourage you to give it a read for the full scoop. Feel free to share your impressions in the comments, as well as join in the discussion here in the Forum.

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From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #585 of the NLSC Podcast!

As we reach the midway point of 2025, the preview season for NBA 2K26 is suddenly looming on the horizon. With that in mind, what are we hoping to see in the next sim basketball game from 2K Sports? This week, we join the community in discussing our Wishlists for NBA 2K26, beginning with our suggestions for improvements to gameplay, mechanics, and controls, and then moving on to our ideas for modes, features, content, presentation, and other aspects of the game. Although we did feel more positive about NBA 2K25 and remain cautiously optimistic about NBA 2K26, there are definitely some key enhancements and additions that can and should be made in this year’s release!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:17:12 — 53.4MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

To get involved with the mailbag or to provide any feedback on the show, hit us up in the comments, reach out on social media, or post here in the NLSC Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. You can also find the show on our YouTube channel, along with the rest of our video content. As always, thanks for tuning in, and go get buckets!

From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #584 of the NLSC Podcast!

Unfortunately, controversy is overshadowing the action of the 2025 NBA Finals following Game 4, which leads us to ask: is the NBA rigged? This week, we join the community in discussing our thoughts on this decades-old question, and to what extent the league may manipulate results, both today and in previous eras. We also discuss how talking heads – particularly Stephen A. Smith and Kendrick Perkins – are finding ways to make themselves the stars of the NBA Finals instead of the players who are actually competing in them. From coverage of the sport to the integrity of the officiating, we’re seeing a showcase of some of the most frustrating aspects of basketball in today’s era.

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:01:20 — 42.5MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

To get involved with the mailbag or to provide any feedback on the show, hit us up in the comments, reach out on social media, or post here in the NLSC Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. You can also find the show on our YouTube channel, along with the rest of our video content. As always, thanks for tuning in, and go get buckets!

From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #583 of the NLSC Podcast!

With only a few games left before a team hoists the Larry O’Brien trophy once more, we’re inclined to share some thoughts on the year that was in the NBA! To that point, this week we join the community in discussing our level of interest in the 2025 NBA Finals and whether we’ll be watching the rest of the way, as well as rating the 2025 season as a whole. This includes our thoughts on the way that the NBA is being covered right now, and the lacklustre promotion of the Finals by ABC. We also touch on whether or not parity is better for the league than the dominance of a dynasty, and Mike Breen’s recent comments regarding the philosophy behind what merits a “BANG!” from him on the mic.

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 55:41 — 38.6MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

To get involved with the mailbag or to provide any feedback on the show, hit us up in the comments, reach out on social media, or post here in the NLSC Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. You can also find the show on our YouTube channel, along with the rest of our video content. As always, thanks for tuning in, and go get buckets!

This is Wayback Wednesday, your midweek blast from the past! From retrospectives of basketball games and their interesting features, to republished articles and looking at NBA history through the lens of the virtual hardwood, Wednesdays at the NLSC are for going back in time. This week, I’m taking a look back at the iconic call of THREE in early NBA Live games, whenever we splashed a shot from downtown.

Video game nostalgia goes way beyond what we did on the sticks. It’s the fun bonus content, and features that we couldn’t find in any other game; even ones from the same series. It’s the distinctive art styles, leading to menus and an overall aesthetic that’s a definitive time capsule for an era. It’s the catchy main menu themes and in-game music that still pop into your head decades later. And while we’re talking about auditory nostalgia, it’s also the iconic sound effects. Collecting a coin as Super Mario, Scorpion’s spear in Mortal Kombat, obtaining an item in Zelda…the list goes on.

In the early NBA Live games, one of the most memorable sound effects was the PA Announcer’s exclamation of “THREE!” whenever you nailed a three-pointer. Whether it swished home or finally dropped in after rattling around on the rim, a trey was made all the more satisfying by that excited call. Dee brought it up when we were talking about NBA Live 95 on Episode #561 of the NLSC Podcast, and as we reflected on that nostalgic sound from our early days on the virtual hardwood, I knew that I had to cover it for Wayback Wednesday. Let’s take a look back…way back…

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From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #526 of the NLSC Podcast!

Who are the worst and most annoying commentators to be stuck listening to in basketball video games? This week, we join the community in picking our least favourite voices of the virtual hardwood, whether it’s due to the opinions that they share, their delivery in the booth, or simply the sound of their voice. Of course, it probably won’t come as a huge surprise that we’re generally not fans of them in real life, either! We also recap a fun session with Basketball Classics that concluded in exciting fashion, and quiz the community on the top-rated point guards in NBA 2K9. Not to sound like a clickbait article, but the answers – and at least one noteworthy omission – may shock you!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 53:45 — 37.3MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

To get involved with the mailbag or to provide any feedback on the show, hit us up in the comments, reach out on social media, or post here in the NLSC Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. You can also find the show on our YouTube channel, along with the rest of our video content. As always, thanks for tuning in, and go get buckets!

We’re at midcourt, and the ball is about to go up…it’s Monday Tip-Off! Join me as I begin the week here at the NLSC with my opinions and commentary on basketball gaming topics, as well as tales of the fun I’ve been having on the virtual hardwood. This week, I’m tipping things off with some reflections on the role that humour plays in basketball gaming.

So, a quick note before we get into this week’s topic: yes, I do mean “humor”. I’m spelling it “humour” because Australian English, like British English, tosses the letter “u” into a bunch of words that American English doesn’t. I know it’s not an issue for most people, but I have received the occasional comment about supposed “mistakes” and “typos” in my articles because I’m not using American spelling. It’s a subject that’s bound to come up from time to time on a site discussing basketball, thanks to “centre” and “center”! In any case, humour, humor…I’m talking about the same thing.

With that out of way, humour is something that we do find in basketball video games, both sim and arcade. It obviously has its place in the genre, though the tone of a game tends to influence how heavily it leans into being humorous. Needless to say, personal preference is also a factor here. In a sim game, too much humour may have a negative effect on the atmosphere, making it feel too silly. Then again, how much is too much depends on how seriously you’re taking your virtual hoops! Conversely, arcade titles invite more humour in their presentation and gameplay, and can seem dry without it. When a game is able to strike the right balance, it adds fun to the virtual hardwood.

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Welcome to another edition of The Friday Five! Every Friday I cover a topic related to basketball gaming, either as a list of five items, or a Top 5 countdown. The topics for these lists and countdowns include everything from fun facts and recollections to commentary and critique. This week’s Five is a list of five fun details that could be found in NBA 2K19’s MyCAREER story.

Since their introduction in NBA 2K14 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, MyCAREER stories have been controversial. Some of them have been intrusive, poorly-written, or both. Others have been more enjoyable to play through, though many gamers still opt to skip the better ones. This ability to skip the story was first implemented in NBA 2K19’s MyCAREER, but that wasn’t the only good addition that year. Indeed, some of the fun details in NBA 2K19’s MyCAREER story made it worth playing through at least once, if not twice. I personally played through it on both PC and PlayStation 4.

Unfortunately, NBA 2K19’s MyCAREER story is no longer playable, as the server shutdown has left the game with the stripped-down offline version of the mode. As such, these fun details are now permanently lost. It may not be a big deal to everyone, but it’s a shame that the single player portion of MyCAREER is now so intertwined with the connected experience that it’s limited – or completely absent – following the servers being shut down. NBA 2K19’s MyCAREER story had some fun details that could’ve potentially made it an enjoyable retro gaming experience, but I’m glad I was able to enjoy them when I could. Here are five of those details that stand out to me.

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This is Wayback Wednesday, your midweek blast from the past! From retrospectives of basketball games and their interesting features, to republished articles and looking at NBA history through the lens of the virtual hardwood, Wednesdays at the NLSC are for going back in time. This week, I’m revisiting NBA Live 2001, and sharing some further opinions on a game that I’ve previously profiled.

Thanks to my efforts in amassing a large collection of basketball video games, I have a plethora of classic (and not-so-classic) titles that I’m yet to cover here in Wayback Wednesday. One of my goals for 2023 is to finally get around to games that have been on the To Do List for years, including the NBA Street series. However, there are titles that I’ve changed my mind about upon revisiting them with fresh eyes. When I’ve experienced a significant change of heart, it only feels appropriate that I follow up with an updated retrospective.

As I’ve previously discussed, I’ve developed a greater appreciation for games such as NBA Live 06 for Xbox 360, NBA Live 10, and NBA 2K14 for PlayStation 4/Xbox One. Last year, I reflected on how my stance on NBA Live 2003 had softened. While I don’t completely disagree with my prior criticisms, I can now find more enjoyment in it as a retro gaming experience. I can say the same for NBA Live 2001 PC, which I ended up revisiting while feeling nostalgic ahead of my twenty year high school reunion. Similar to NBA Live 2003, it’s a game I’ve had mixed opinions about over the years. Let’s take a look back…way back…

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This is Wayback Wednesday, your midweek blast from the past! From retrospectives of basketball games and their interesting features, to republished articles and looking at NBA history through the lens of the virtual hardwood, Wednesdays at the NLSC are for going back in time. This week, I’m taking a look back at NBA 2K13.

As a 90s kid who grew up with NBA Live, that series has been the focus of several of my retrospectives. In addition to Wayback Wednesday features, I’ve also covered every NBA Live as part of our 25th Anniversary celebrations. I haven’t celebrated NBA 2K’s milestones in the same way, mostly because while I do consider myself a fan of the series now, I don’t have the same nostalgia for and experience with it going right back to the beginning of my basketball gaming. Games like NBA 2K14 and even NBA 2K11 have only become some of my all-time favourites in retrospect.

However, there are NBA 2K titles that I’ve played enthusiastically from launch, and am nostalgic for. Indeed, this year marks the tenth anniversary of the first 2K title that I was hooked on from day one: NBA 2K13. While the cancellation of NBA Live 13 was another blow for EA Sports, it opened up an opportunity for me to expand my basketball gaming horizons, and Visual Concepts didn’t disappoint. Even putting aside my personal affinity for NBA 2K13, I believe it’s one of the strongest releases in the NBA 2K series. Let’s take a look back…way back…

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2K has revealed that NBA 2K23 will feature three special guest announcers: Richard Jefferson, Mike Fratello, and Ray Clay. Richard Jefferson will be part of the rotating booth, while Mike Fratello will be announcing during Jordan Challenge and past Eras in MyNBA, and Ray Clay will reprise his role as the Chicago Bulls’ PA Announcer in Jordan Challenge games.

The reveal is the first in a series of daily news drops, leading up to NBA 2K23’s release next week on September 9th. MyCAREER and soundtrack news will be coming in the next couple of days, followed by details on apparel and arena enhancements, motion capture, Jordan Challenge gameplay and other gameplay content, ratings reveals, and previews of The City and Season One in MyCAREER and MyTEAM.

See below for a full breakdown of the upcoming news schedule, as well as videos of the new special guest announcers discussing their role in this year’s game. As always, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments, as well as join in the discussion here in the NLSC Forum!

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From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #429 of the NLSC Podcast!

Is it worse to be called a moron by Steve Kerr, or hear Grant Hill go full “How do you do, fellow kids?” and call something lit? Suffice to say, the past week has delivered some awkward moments in virtual commentary! Conversely, Twitter produced some surprisingly positive (but certainly welcome) interactions. Playing NBA Live 06 PC also reminded us of a unique animation, and our frustrations with canned moments in recent titles. In light of confirmation that Madden 23 will be another last gen port, we speculate on what to expect from NBA 2K23 PC. We also discuss unfortunate generated player tattoos, choosing a retro season mod to play with, and whether a squad of Christian Laettners is better than a team of Andrew Langs.

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:14:44 — 51.7MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

To get involved with the mailbag or to provide any feedback on the show, hit us up in the comments, reach out on social media, or post here in the NLSC Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. You can also find the show on our YouTube channel, along with the rest of our video content. As always, thanks for tuning in, and go get buckets!