Basketball 101 (2k Edition)

[MrWrestling3]

(Warning: Long read)


This something I've been meaning to do for a while...in the spirit of other help threads, I wanted to gather together different knowledge I've picked up over the years.Mostly based on actual basketball philosophies adapted to 2K, this concentrates on little things that people sometimes miss; while much of this may sound very basic, you'd be surprised how times I see people forget,myself included.

Generally designed for online players,much of this also applies to vs CPU games as well.

Offense :

- When playing PG, you have many more responsibilities than just bringing the ball up and finding the open man or driving and dishing.Most importantly,you are the one who calls plays and initiates them, you can control the flow of the game by calling plays for specific players....try running sets for the guy with the hot hand or defensive mismatches, mix it up so the D isn't getting the same look every time.You can also call defensive matchups;if someone is getting smoked every time, try putting someone else on them.Please try to involve everyone to some degree in the long run , other wise people turn into black holes....ball goes in and never comes back out.

- For interior players, stay out of the restricted arc. Getting too close to the hoop is one cause of those weird and awkward layup attempts that everyone hates.

- Post players do not need to hug the paint every series, try posting up from different spots and ranges to make it harder to anticipate your move.

- You don't need to do 10 moves to fake out a defender, it is better to read the defender and time a few moves well.Take a second, observe your situation, and figure out the best way to set them up.Keep it to about 3 or 4 moves and if it's not working, move the ball.

- If you make a cut to the hoop and don't get the ball, clear out...clogging the paint just ruins the offensive spacing for everyone else.

- Conversely, if you receive the ball and the lanes are clogged, do not try to force it in there, it almost always ends badly. Work the mid or perimeter shot or pass.

- If you are a trailer in transition or a half court set and the ball handler is near you, try to keep out of their way. Running next to/in front of the ball handler usually just drags your defender to them and messes up their operational spacing, and usually ruins whatever offense you are running.

- If all else fails, play to the open space on the floor.

Defense:

- It is almost always better to bother the shot(hands up/contest) than go for blocks.

- If you have to go for a block in close quarters or near the hoop, use the vertical shot contest (jump button and left stick neutral or away from the defender). You'll be much less likely to commit a foul.

- On the interior, stay out of the restricted arc.Not only do you often get weird or bad animations those close to the hoop, you are also quite likely to be called for a foul.

- Also on the interior, don't just let guys run around freely. Use your bump/chuck/grab moves to get them off their routes and disrupt their timing.

- On the perimeter and on drives, it's all about predicting where the ball handler will go and beating them to the spot.

- There's no need to help on every drive, especially if it means leaving perimeter shooters open.

- You can often bait players into bad spots on the floor by intentionally giving them a little gap where you want them to go, just be quick with your counter.

Rebounding :

- Box out....this is the most important thing you can do. Even if it's not your man...if he's near you when the shot goes up, box them out.Sometimes the best play is to just keep their best rebounders off the glass and let your team mates handle the rest.

- Do your work and get position before the shot goes up.Also once again....stay out of the restricted arc, it causes bad animations.

- Give the ball at least a split second to come off the hoop before you jump for it. At the very least it will keep you from chasing boards you have no chance at getting and ending up out of position.

- If you are boxed out and the ball is not coming directly to you, do not jump;all you're going to do is get called for Over The Back.Better to just concede the rebound and get into position for the next play.

- We almost never need all 5 guys crashing the glass every possession. If you are further away from the hoop, your job is to prepare in case of a long rebound or odd loose ball that comes your way, then either get back on D to limit transition/prepare to receive an inside out pass, or D up your man,depending. Take a second and read the situation, then react accordingly.

- If you grab an Offensive Rebound, read the floor before acting. Kicking the ball out or even backing pedaling out of traffic then passing is usually the better option over trying to put it back with 6 people in your way. I'm not saying take forever debating what to do, about a second in sufficient.

At this point, I'd like to say thanks for reading.I hope I've been able to provide a little bit of knowledge to help people improve their game in some area or another.

Feel free to add on anything I missed/discuss/debate.

[Mani Gultinder]

Quote: Originally Posted by MrWrestling3

(Warning: Long read) - Also on the interior, don't just let guys run around freely. Use your bump/chuck/grab moves to get them off their routes and disrupt their timing. Feel free to add on anything I missed/discuss/debate.

Well done.

Thoughts on the intentional offensive foul being mapped to the same button as grab?




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[City_foxx]

No mentions of tripple treat, off ball screens, spotting seals, slipping screens,Pump fakes, atacking close outs, backdoors or dripple pitch (Im clearly an offense guy) you got this MR. DUB

[ILLSmak]

Haha, just sitting here for an hour or so, so I can indulge a bit. INSIGHT from a retired 2k vet, supa respek, decade plus career, use dribble package 17... nah, but this is my insight, some of it is what I prefer, some of it is absolute truth. I also don't do formatting much, which is why I don't blog. No pix, no bullet points, a rambling mess, etc.


The literal first rule of 2k or any online basketball game is get back on defense. Some can say winning the battle of the boards is even before that, but I don't know. You need to be back on D, you need to be able to understand your teammates by movement and know when they are going to shoot. You need to know if you got a guy on either side of the post, guys in the corner areas and the PG at the top, and the PG drives, someone has to 'switch' out to that top spot, probably more than one. x on 0 fast breaks, which happen online ALL the time, should never happen.



Getting back on D should be an OCD thing you do. I feel it's best to get back and be around the FT line circle so you can be ready for all kinds of passes and get out and contest. 2 on 1, it's hard, but then you tell your buddy to get back, too.



Same with leaking out on O, you should always be leaking out but not too far out. Probably a little past half court is a good place to leak out, and if you got it on lock, have someone around there as a proxy to pass to the finisher who is almost under the hoop by then. If you are contesting a stretch big as a big, keep running and leak out.



Rebounding, I kind of disagree. You want to keep people out of the restricted circle or that area, the best rebounders know that you can loop under and snag a board, it's harder to box people out behind the backboard, and you can get some really good jump animations. I think of it like football, on D and for rebounding, just keep pushing people out of the paint. The best spot to be in is where you can box out, contend for a rebound, but also not be giving up an instant dunk if they do get it (you learn those things as an undersized rebounder.) You can win without great rebounding as long as your team doesn't get demoralized, and you don't give up auto dunks or auto-threes.



Stealing passes! Play passing lanes like you play driving lanes. If you are a big man running back on a break, pretend you are the PG, stay in a line between the guy leaking out, and guess when he's going to pass, press steal. I get a decent amount that way, usually 1 a game at least, which is demoralizing. Any time someone goes into a passing animation, assuming you're not just getting relentlessly beat on back cuts, everyone should press steal at an appropriate time (based on distance) to get a hand on the ball or steal the pass. Over the years, people have gotten better, but I still am surprised some people just stand there while the ball flies over them.



Lastly, have fun. Never get demoralized. You can get upset and turn off the ps4 after the game, be like "not feeling it tonight boys" and just dip. Never show weakness, never act out at your own teammates, it's like letting the other team smell blood. Always pass to people who are in a good spot no matter how much they miss, the idea of passing is not to assist but to shift the defense, look for post passers and let people pass from the post. Post passing is super OP in 2k. To cutters, high low passing, even from one side of the rim to the other. Try to think about what options the guy has when you give him the ball like... I know he's a driver and it looks like there is a pretty good lane to the left of him. Assume people know what they are doing until proven otherwise. Assume people are making mistakes and not just lo IQ until proven otherwise. Even when people are awful, lo IQ and toxic players, you pass them the ball when you think they have a decent chance of scoring.



I cannot stress more, tho. I've played *so many* 5v5 online games since I started in Live 09. The most important skill is offense and defensive floor balance, relative to defending and starting the fast break. That's what wins games online. At the highest level, when people have those skills mastered, you add in other things.


-Smak

[MrWrestling3]

Quote: Originally Posted by City_foxx

No mentions of tripple treat, off ball screens, spotting seals, slipping screens,Pump fakes, atacking close outs, backdoors or dripple pitch (Im clearly an offense guy) you got this MR. DUB

Not quite yet.....small steps brother....small steps...

Quote: Originally Posted by ILLSmak

Spoiler Haha, just sitting here for an hour or so, so I can indulge a bit. INSIGHT from a retired 2k vet, supa respek, decade plus career, use dribble package 17... nah, but this is my insight, some of it is what I prefer, some of it is absolute truth. I also don't do formatting much, which is why I don't blog. No pix, no bullet points, a rambling mess, etc. The literal first rule of 2k or any online basketball game is get back on defense. Some can say winning the battle of the boards is even before that, but I don't know. You need to be back on D, you need to be able to understand your teammates by movement and know when they are going to shoot. You need to know if you got a guy on either side of the post, guys in the corner areas and the PG at the top, and the PG drives, someone has to 'switch' out to that top spot, probably more than one. x on 0 fast breaks, which happen online ALL the time, should never happen. Getting back on D should be an OCD thing you do. I feel it's best to get back and be around the FT line circle so you can be ready for all kinds of passes and get out and contest. 2 on 1, it's hard, but then you tell your buddy to get back, too. Same with leaking out on O, you should always be leaking out but not too far out. Probably a little past half court is a good place to leak out, and if you got it on lock, have someone around there as a proxy to pass to the finisher who is almost under the hoop by then. If you are contesting a stretch big as a big, keep running and leak out. Rebounding, I kind of disagree. You want to keep people out of the restricted circle or that area, the best rebounders know that you can loop under and snag a board, it's harder to box people out behind the backboard, and you can get some really good jump animations. I think of it like football, on D and for rebounding, just keep pushing people out of the paint. The best spot to be in is where you can box out, contend for a rebound, but also not be giving up an instant dunk if they do get it (you learn those things as an undersized rebounder.) You can win without great rebounding as long as your team doesn't get demoralized, and you don't give up auto dunks or auto-threes. Stealing passes! Play passing lanes like you play driving lanes. If you are a big man running back on a break, pretend you are the PG, stay in a line between the guy leaking out, and guess when he's going to pass, press steal. I get a decent amount that way, usually 1 a game at least, which is demoralizing. Any time someone goes into a passing animation, assuming you're not just getting relentlessly beat on back cuts, everyone should press steal at an appropriate time (based on distance) to get a hand on the ball or steal the pass. Over the years, people have gotten better, but I still am surprised some people just stand there while the ball flies over them. Lastly, have fun. Never get demoralized. You can get upset and turn off the ps4 after the game, be like "not feeling it tonight boys" and just dip. Never show weakness, never act out at your own teammates, it's like letting the other team smell blood. Always pass to people who are in a good spot no matter how much they miss, the idea of passing is not to assist but to shift the defense, look for post passers and let people pass from the post. Post passing is super OP in 2k. To cutters, high low passing, even from one side of the rim to the other. Try to think about what options the guy has when you give him the ball like... I know he's a driver and it looks like there is a pretty good lane to the left of him. Assume people know what they are doing until proven otherwise. Assume people are making mistakes and not just lo IQ until proven otherwise. Even when people are awful, lo IQ and toxic players, you pass them the ball when you think they have a decent chance of scoring. I cannot stress more, tho. I've played *so many* 5v5 online games since I started in Live 09. The most important skill is offense and defensive floor balance, relative to defending and starting the fast break. That's what wins games online. At the highest level, when people have those skills mastered, you add in other things. -Smak

Great post, very informative stuff.

To expand on rebounding...perhaps I wasn't clear in my initial wording. I was talking about establishing your initial position if you are already in front of an opponent; too many times I see people run up right under the hoop, which isn't really the best spot, then miss the rebound because it bounced high and went right over their head.

Of course you will always want to follow the Golden Rule of Rebounding(Always find your man and box out), which means if he's already inside the arc then that's will you will need to go. If I am at the glass unopposed( because my man got hung up on other people), and they have a guy already in the arc unopposed, I will go in and box him out even though he isn't "my man"; it's better to deny him an easy board and try to board from there than go up and hope I get to it before he does.

[DC]

I have probably RT'ed this Article from Coach2K 25 times since he published it.

How To Use Your Timeouts In NBA2K https://www.coach2k.com/2014/06/how-...-in-nba2k.html

How To Use Your Timeouts In NBA2K
As a guy from Indiana, I grew up in the Bob Knight era. If you were a fan of the Indiana University Hoosiers during his tenure there, you know he was pretty adamant about not calling timeouts to stop an opponents run. He believed that you should use good execution to stop it. For most of my NBA2K career, I've also adopted that stance. In part because I was a Knight follower and also because it's kind of a joke in the 2K community that you need to call timeouts to stop either a human opponent or the HOF CPU even though you don't. Lately, I've started to question how I use timeouts mainly because I find myself in games versus opponents where we can go a whole quarter with no break and so I'm asking myself how realistic is that and should we be calling timeouts?

Timeouts: The Basics

Here is the section in the NBA rule book that talks about timeouts.
a. Each team is entitled to six (6) charged timeouts during regulation play. Each team is limited to no more than three (3) timeouts in the fourth period and no more than two (2) timeouts in the last two minutes of regulation play. (This is in addition to one 20-second timeout per half.) Source: NBA.com

I know in NBA2K, you start the game with 7 timeouts. You have the option to call a full timeout or a 20 second timeout with the limit on the 20 second timeout at one per half I am pretty sure. I typically never call a 20 second time out and opt for full timeouts most of the time.

In real life, there are tv timeouts. These are "mandatory timeouts" that are called at the first dead ball after 6:00 and 3:00 in each quarter and there was another situation when tv timeouts would be called but I didn't have the energy to figure it all out.

It also seems that in real life, towards the end of the game, there are often a bunch of timeouts.
When To Call Timeouts

As I mentioned above, the joke around the 2K community is that you should call a timeout to stop a run. The thinking is that it will stop a team's momentum. I think most people think the mere "act" of calling a timeout is what stops the momentum. In actuality it's the execution after a timeout that matters. If you don't execute, then it doesn't really kill momentum.

So let's look at times when you want to call a timeout.

When a team makes a big play. If a team makes a big play like an alley oop dunk or a huge three and you can hear the crowd start roaring, this is your sign that maybe a timeout might be in order.

If you opponent goes on a run. If you can't stop the other team for several possessions, that's another time you might want to use a timeout.

When your opponent scores to stop your run. I've noticed the CPU does this and often I will do it too if I score a bunch of buckets and the other team answers.

To avoid a turnover. Often I'll get caught in the back court with a big man dribbling and no ball handler near. I'll advance it if I can but if it's likely I'll turn it over, I call timeout. I just have to remember to get the ball past half court before the 8 sec violation after the timeout. I also might need to call timeout to avoid a 5 second call.

To make an adjustment in POE or matchups. If you feel you need to make a defensive adjustment and can't do it on the fly, that's a good reason to call a timeout. While you can make a matchup change in the pause menu, I prefer to do it during a timeout if possible to hide what I am doing. You might want to check the stats and just take time to think about what's going on and how you want to deal with it.

To make substitutions. Sometimes I need to make a complicated substitution that is hard for me to d pad through during play. I usually will call a timeout to take care of it.

To rest your team. Often fatigue creeps in. It might make sense to call a timeout to give them a rest so you can leave them in longer.

To stop the clock. Towards the end of game, you might need to stop the clock and that's a good time to call timeout.

To advance the ball to half court. If you don't advance the ball, at the end of the game, you can call timeout and take the ball out at half court.

To take care of something while you are playing someone. I've been known to go to the bathroom during a game since they last an hour they way I play them. Sometimes I'll have a controller issue I need to fix. I've often had the game not respond and I'll have to burn a timeout to try and reset my controller. It's often more courteous to call a timeout than pause it. If I need an extended break for some reason, I'll let my opponent know what's going on as well.

Those are some good times to call timeouts even though guys often save all of their timeouts until the end and can't use them all then anyway.
How To Call Timeouts In NBA2K

To call timeout, you can either pause the game and select timeout from the menu or on the Playstation, you can just hit R1 and L1 at the same time. Then you select what kind of timeout you want. You can choose either a full time out or a twenty second time out if you have used it yet.
What Do People Really Do During A Game Of 2K?

That's the basic primer on timeouts. So let's talk about what happens in game situations sometimes. There are basically two types of players. Guys that set the timeouts to auto and let the computer handle it and those who don't. If you have a guy on auto timeouts, then you won't see a problem with no breaks in play.

If you do set your settings to auto timeouts, you might hesitate before you call a timeout manually. I have often called a timeout only to have the auto timeout called right after.

As far as the manual timeout callers, here's what I have noticed:

Never call timeouts. First, you'll have guys that won't call timeouts. The thinking is that they can sub on the fly and if you are not doing that, your guys may get tired and this gives them an advantage. If you get two stubborn people together, and that also don't reach or foul, you can find yourself in long stretches without a break in play.

Call them at appropriate times. Some users do take the time to use their timeouts effectively to manage the game.

Call them late in the game back to back to rest guys. Another thing I see is people using timeouts to avoid subbing. I've noticed some guys will call back to back timeouts to keep their players fresh. I don't really like this but it is an option if you are not a very deep team.

Abuse the timeout. I've also seen guys call back to back to back timeouts. The reason? Because they heard it's a glitch to break momentum. I definitely don't recommend the double or triple timeout strategy.

What To Do During A Timeout

Once you are in a timeout, you'll want to kind of go through a checklist of items you want to do. Here's mine:

Do I want to make any subs. Are my guys tired? Is it time for a break. Do I want to go small, go big or in late game situations put in three point shooters or free throw shooters?

Do I want to change my points of emphasis? Is there anything my opponent is doing that I need to try and stop? I might want to adjust my points of emphasis coming out of a timeout.

Check stats. I think it's perfectly fine to check stats in during a timeout since they don't make them available during the timeout.

Do I want to change a matchup? Towards the end of a game, I might want to put my lockdown defender on the other teams best player. This is the time to do that.

Take a breather. I typically rest for a bit as well.

I often don't adjust anything. If the game is going how I want it, I might not make any adjustments and just rest.
How To Be More Sim With Your Timeouts

If you could consider yourself a sim type player, where you are after realism, I think it's probably essential that you call timeouts. I don't think it's really fair to criticize someones on court play and then not call timeouts like you are supposed to. If you forget to call timeouts, then you might want to put them on auto.

Here are some other suggestions for being more sim with timeouts.

Call timeouts regardless of whether you feel you need to it at times when mandatory timeouts would take place in real life.

Let the timeout run for the whole time.

If you are calling timeout after a big play, advance the ball to half court then call timeout.

Regardless of what you do, I think it's important to save at least two timeouts for the end of a game. You might need them if the game turns out to be close.

Is it critical to think about this? Well it depends on your level of sim and how far you want to take it. Depending on my opponent and my game plan, I've started calling timeouts at certain breaks and at times listed above. So, I've changed my approach a bit from when I started just to be more realistic.

Let me know how you guys approach timeouts below.

[MrWrestling3]

Quote: Originally Posted by Mani Gultinder

Well done. Thoughts on the intentional offensive foul being mapped to the same button as grab?

I did notice that, you'll have to be very careful to lay off turbo when chucking and grabbing, unless you want an intentional foul.It's a good idea to lay off turbo on defense unless absolutely needed anyway though; it tends to put you out of control,out of position,or both.

[DC]

I will discuss passing. Over the years, I have heard people complain about there being too many interceptions in 2K. People hate to hear this but I will always say this falls under #UserError.

People simply don't understand distance.

I teach my kids this as well when it comes to playing REAL basketball. I broke the court down into 8 sections.

My rule is to never make a pass from one zone to another zone UNLESS that zone borders the initial zone.

I also would be safe and say to stay away from passes that cross the "equator." (But if you are experienced enough, you could make this work in certain instances)

For example, I personally wouldn't suggest making passes from Zone 1 to Zone 6. That pass would have too much ground to cover and there are too many hands that could potentially get a hand on that ball. (Pause).

I think that is simple enough of an explanation.

Try this before you cry about the passing in the game being broken.