NBA 2K15 remains one of the few sports games on the market that requires immense attention to succeed on the defensive side of the basketball. With players generally playing like their real-life counterparts, strategic matchups and specific defensive attacks are imperative to success. With that said, here are five ways you can get better at defense in NBA 2K15:

1. Know the Plan: One thing I've always found to be helpful is to get an idea of what I want to do in a game before I play it.

For instance, last night I was playing a Drummond-less Pistons team. I put all my efforts into stopping Monroe, and what I got was a 10-24 night from the field, and a six point victory. I even used a heavier front-court rotation, letting players like Kyle O'Quinn and Aaron Gordon get a lot of playtime to keep everyone fresh on the defensive end.

2. Find your Lockdown Defender: The hardest thing in any sports game is to find the players that fit what you want to do. In this case, elite NBA defenders are at a premium. If you can find one that works for you, don't be afraid to give up an offensive heavy player like Tyreke Evans or Eric Gordon for an Arron Afflalo or someone else of his caliber.

3. Pick a Defender: So this is something beginners can try out until they get the hang of things. I've found an easy way to learn defense is to pick a single player (usually a long power-forward or center) and focus on defending with them. This will go a long way in helping you learn basic one-on-one defense and won't hurt your team too much if you feel outmatched.

4. Stay on the Ground: The natural impulse is to jump around and swat shots. Don't. Keep yourself grounded and force the CPU to take the much more difficult outside shot.

5. Don't Reach: Again, NBA 2K15 isn't your run-of-the-mill sports title. It's going to punish you for doing silly things like reaching inside over and over again, especially if you play with proper foul sliders. Instead, focus on staying in front of the defender and getting your steals from the passing lanes.