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Monday Tip-Off: Set Trends, Don’t Follow Them

Monday Tip-Off: Set Trends, Don't Follow Them

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 basketball video games chasing trends in gaming, rather than doing their own thing.

I’m going to make a comparison here. Although I’m not a fan of Adam Silver and I have some gripes with his NBA, I won’t pretend that the late David Stern always got it right, either. Like many older fans, I rolled my eyes whenever he talked about the pipe dream of expanding into Europe; an idea that seemed like a logistical nightmare for a league in which teams play four to five games per week, and players can get traded wherever and whenever, whether they like it or not. In particular, I remember cringing when he once used the word “friendlies” when referring to exhibition games.

Obviously, those two words do mean the same thing in terms of sports. Of course, “friendlies” is commonly used in football (that is, association football, or soccer if you prefer) to describe a match that doesn’t count, and is more of a British/European term. Conversely, American leagues such as the NBA tend to use the word “exhibition” for such games. As an Australian, they’re interchangeable terms for me. As for Stern, he was clearly trying to sell the NBA to the European market and ingratiate himself by using a familiar term. I understood that, but I still cringed because it felt inauthentic. Basketball video games chasing trends instead of setting them reminds me of that.

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Monday Tip-Off: The Whole World in One Basketball Game

Monday Tip-Off: The Whole World in One Basketball Game

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 by pondering whether it would be feasible to include the whole world in one basketball game, most likely NBA 2K.

Since 2010, the NBA 2K series has done an impressive job of fleshing out its extra content. The old All-Decade teams and Draft Class squads were dropped (though the former would eventually return) in favour of classic teams, beginning with those that were included as part of The Jordan Challenge. The roster of retro squads has since expanded, with All-Time teams also being added. We’ve also seen Olympic teams, EuroLeague teams, and now the WNBA represented in NBA 2K. If the series was to expand its bonus content further, what else could it possibly include?

How about the whole world in one basketball game? Yes, I’m talking about a FIFA-like representation of other prominent professional leagues, in addition to the NBA. Now, I believe that the NBA should always be the priority given it is NBA 2K, and expanded bonus content isn’t a vital improvement. Still, it’s an intriguing possibility, especially with NBA 2K’s dominance in the basketball gaming space. Outside of management titles, or indie efforts such as PBA Basketball Slam, it’s unlikely to see other leagues licensed for their own games. However, the success of NBA 2K, and strength of the NBA brand, could buoy an all-encompassing pro basketball title.

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Wayback Wednesday: NBA Returns After Extended Absences (Part 3)

Wayback Wednesday: NBA Returns After Extended Absences (Part 3)

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 some more NBA players that made returns after extended absences from the league.

Look, when it comes to NBA trivia and its representation in video games, I can’t get enough! When The BBall Pundit suggested this topic, it required a bit of research, which is always fun. We remember the big names that made returns to the NBA after extended absences – at least two years or more – but there have been other key role players and memorable journeymen that surprised us when they inked new contracts. Perhaps it’s a reminder to never underestimate the intrigue of a young player who still has potential to fulfil, or a capable veteran who can slot right back into a lineup.

In case it isn’t clear, I should note that by returns after extended absences, I’m talking about players who were out of the league entirely. Someone like Klay Thompson, who missed two consecutive seasons due to injury, doesn’t count as he was still on the Warriors’ roster. Comebacks after missing multiple years due to injury is another topic altogether – and there are certainly some interesting examples I could cover – but this is about players who were retired or out of the league and not expected to return. With that being said, let’s take a look back…way back…

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The Friday Five: 5 Times NBL Players Appeared in Classic Games

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 lists five times that NBL players appeared in classic NBA video games.

After the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the original start of the season, the Australian NBL is tipping off its 2021 campaign today. I’ve always been more of an NBA fan, but I do have an affinity for my country’s league; even if my hometown has lost two teams since the league was founded here in 1979. In any event, it’s been great to see the NBL grow, and become a viable path to the NBA. Not only have more and more home-grown talents made it to the NBA, but American players are opting for the NBL over college. Examples include Terrance Ferguson, and more recently, LaMelo Ball.

The number of players who spent time in both leagues has resulted in several NBL alumni appearing in NBA video games. Luc Longley played two games for the Perth Wildcats in 1986 before he was drafted in 1991, and became the first Australian to play in the NBA. Journeyman point guard Doug Overton played a season for the Illawarra Hawks before beginning his NBA career with the Washington Bullets. You may be familiar with them thanks to their NBA careers and video game appearances, as well as more recent NBL alumni such as Joe Ingles and Torrey Craig. There are some older appearances you may not recall however, such as these five examples.

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NBL 2K20 Mod Released for NBA 2K20 PC

NBL 2K20 Mod Released

You may recall that back in August, MonkeyManJSV and his team released a demo of the NBL 2K20 mod. The project has since been completed, and is now available to download for NBA 2K20 PC! Please note that it cannot be used with the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One versions of the game.

For the uninitiated, the mod is a total conversion that adds complete rosters for Australia’s National Basketball League to NBA 2K20. It features comprehensive art updates including player faces, jerseys, logos, and courts. As such, it’s highly recommended that you back up your files before installing the mod, so that you can easily restore the original artwork if desired.

The roster can be found on 2K Share under the name NBL2K20 by MonkeyManJSV. A pack containing all of the required art files can be found here in the mod’s release topic. For detailed installation instructions, be sure to check out this video. Congratulations to MonkeyManJSV and the entire NBL 2K20 mod team on the release! It’s great to see the NBL represented on the virtual hardwood, and another comprehensive modding project come together.

 

File Additions for NBA 2K20

NBA 2K20 Cover Art

Quite a few people are still actively modding NBA 2K20, as is evident by today’s file additions. Pick up the latest retro jerseys by retroman, and new faces from Shuajota and jaychung3013, at the links below!

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.

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NBL 2K20 Mod Demo Now Available for NBA 2K20 PC

NBL 2K20 Mod Demo

Back in Episode #331 of the NLSC Podcast, I mentioned an NBL mod as a roster project I’d like to take a run at, if I ever had the time. As it turned out, I wasn’t the only one with that idea. More importantly, they also had the time and inclination to get it done! MonkeyManJSV, Shuajota, Xiskeg, Mahmood, Dlubell, losjosh, PettyPaulPierce, Krush, Thadoughboy15, Evy53 and karinge have been hard at work on an NBL 2K20 mod for NBA 2K20 PC, and a demo version is now available.

The demo allows you to replay the Finals matchup between the Sydney Kings and Perth Wildcats. Both teams have accurate jerseys and player faces, and even the basketball has been updated for maximum authenticity. You can download the NBL 2K20 demo here, and find the support/release topic here in the Forum. Also see below for a video showcasing gameplay with the mod.

Please note that as is the case with all total conversion mods – and 99.9% of uploads in our community, for that matter – this project is for PC only. The console versions of basketball games simply don’t facilitate the same level of modding that’s feasible on PC. MonkeyManJSV and company are working hard to get the full mod completed, so stay tuned for further updates!

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Wayback Wednesday: Familiar Faces in Strange Places (Part 4)

Wayback Wednesday: Familiar Faces in Strange Places (Part 4)

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 yet more NBA players who became familiar faces in strange places, and those stints in video games.

Just when you thought I was done talking about familiar faces in strange places, here is part four in an ongoing series of Wayback Wednesday articles! Not all of these players are Hall of Famers or even perennial All-Stars, but they are nevertheless significant and recognisable, thereby qualifying as familiar faces. They’re also players that we grew accustomed to seeing play for one or two teams in particular, so the strange places they ended up in do make for a jarring sight, both in real life and on the virtual hardwood.

Once again, I’m looking at these familiar faces in strange places through the lens of basketball video games, in part because that’s obviously what we cover here at the NLSC, but also because it emphasises how games like NBA Live and NBA 2K in particular act as time capsules and interactive almanacs. From past champions and the glory days of the game’s brightest stars, to the forgotten and overlooked stints I’m recalling here, those memories come flooding back upon firing up old favourites. Let’s take a look back…way back…

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File Additions for NBA 2K14

NBA 2K14 Cover Art

The latest file additions for NBA 2K14 PC include player faces, a new version of College Hoops 2K20, and other great mods. Check them all out at the links below!

Taco2k
JaVale McGee Face (2019-2020)

RICH72601
8-Pack Street Court

nick15
College Hoops 2K20 Update 19.03 (Updated to 3.0)

Jarrod Trim
Sydney Kings (In 2K14 Roster) (Updated to v2.0)

IceCr
Gilbert Arenas Face (Updated to v2.0)
Charles Barkley 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.

File Additions for NBA 2K14

NBA 2K14 Cover Art

The latest file additions for NBA 2K14 PC include court updates for the 2020 season, a face update for LeBron James, and an NBL team mod. Check them all out at the links below!

Jarrod
Sydney Kings (In 2K14 Roster)

GNGGRIZZ27
2019-20 Cleveland Cavaliers 50th Anniversary Court
2019-20 Los Angeles Clippers Court

Pep
2019/20 Spectrum Center (Charlotte Hornets Court)
2019/20 United Center (Chicago Bulls Court)
2019/20 Madison Square Garden (New York Knicks Court)
2019/20 AT&T Center (San Antonio Spurs Court)

Taco2k
LeBron James Face (2019-2020) (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.

The Friday Five: 5 New Basketball Games I’d Like to See

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 new basketball games that I’d like to see developed in the future.

Happy 2K Day everyone! NBA 2K20 is out today, which means a lot of gamers in our community will be spending time with it this weekend; I know I will be! While I hope I’ll enjoy NBA 2K20 as much as I did NBA 2K19, I’m also hoping that it won’t be the only release this year. We’re still waiting on any information about NBA Live 20, and the future of the NBA Live series. A release is slated for next quarter and various reps have said that EA Sports aren’t pulling the plug, so we can only wait and see what happens.

I still firmly believe that we need at least two viable choices when it comes to the sim-oriented NBA games on the market. Ideally, we’d also have some more arcade games and other titles to choose from, too. Obviously a lot of people are getting the virtual basketball experience they crave from NBA 2K, but competition, alternatives, and different takes on the sport are important to have. Beyond seeing NBA Live catch up to NBA 2K and be competitive again, there are other ideas for basketball games that I’d like to see come to fruition. Some of these ideas are easier said than done when you take licensing into account, but I’m throwing them out there anyway.

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NLSC Podcast – Episode #254

NLSC Podcast Logo

Episode #254 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! Join Arcane and myself as we discuss the cover leak for the Standard Edition of NBA 2K19, the situation with NBA Playgrounds 2, and our plans for this year’s games. Our Week in Basketball Gaming also returns, along with some other fun topics.

On this week’s show…

  • It seems the NBA 2K19 Standard Edition cover has been leaked, with Giannis Antetokoumpo being the featured player. We discuss the choice, and the situation with the Early Tip-Off Weekend being exclusive to the 20th Anniversary Edition.
  • NBA Playgrounds 2 was indefinitely postponed a month ago, and we still haven’t heard anything further. Is there any big announcement that could feasibly make up for the lack of hype?
  • What are our plans for NBA Live 19 and NBA 2K19 when they’re released in September?
  • HAWK23 has made a welcome return to the community, and is currently looking at fixing up the links for the Ultimate Base Roster for NBA 2K12 and NBA 2K14 PC.
  • We reflect once again on our own history with modding, and why we don’t mod as much as we used to. We’re not shutting the door on the idea, though.
  • If an NBL 2K or NBL Live game were ever to be released, what would it be like? We have some fun with the idea.
  • We wrap up Episode #254 of the NLSC Podcast with a short discussion of the NBA Draft, and the (latest) Dwight Howard trade.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Have some thoughts on the latest episode? Got a mailbag question or topic suggestion for the next show? Sound off in the comments section below, or join in the discussion here in the Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki.

NLSC Podcast – Episode #216

NLSC Podcast Logo

Episode #216 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! Join Arcane and I as we discuss the news of the past week, including the NBA Live 18 demo and WNBA teams, the NBA Playgrounds Roster Unlock DLC, and a couple of NBA 2K18 snippets. And as always, we tell a few stories about our past week in basketball gaming.

On this week’s show…

  • The NBA Live 18 demo will be coming out next week, August 11th. We’ve also found out a little more about The Streets portion of The One.
  • EA Sports has also announced that all twelve WNBA teams will be included in NBA Live 18. We feel it’s a pretty good idea, and speculate on the future of additional content in NBA Live.
  • The latest NBA 2K18 screenshots are looking very good, with some noticeable improvements to a couple of players. For what it’s worth, we’ve also found out a few more player ratings.
  • A couple of interviews have provided us with some snippets of information regarding improvements to gameplay and MyPLAYER Archetypes in NBA 2K18, as well a few additional details on the new story in MyGM.
  • Saber Interactive has released a Roster Unlock for NBA Playgrounds. The idea definitely has merit and it’s something gamers have been asking for, but not everyone is happy about it.
  • NBA 2K17 is the highest selling Take Two sports title to date. It’s also raking in higher than expected revenue from microtransactions.
  • Our Week in Basketball Gaming has included some fun moments and satisfying victories in 2K Pro-Am and MyPARK, and more enjoyment out of an old school fantasy approach in Play Now.
  • We wrap up Episode #216 of the NLSC Podcast with some NBL talk. Yes, really!

Click Play to listen to the show!

Have some thoughts on the latest episode? Sound off in the comments below, or here in the Forum. Also, if there’s a topic you’d like us to discuss on the next episode of the NLSC Podcast, feel free to hit us up in this thread.