NBA 2K11 News Post

NBA 2K11 Developer Insight: "Jordan Challenge" - Some Historic Teams Announced

07:01 PM - July 22, 2010 by Steve_OS

2K Sports has just posted their NBA 2K11 Developer Insight, written by Gameplay Producer Zach Timmerman, as he talks about the "Jordan Challenge" and a few other tidbits.

Quote:


	"One thing that hasn�t really been mentioned in all the great coverage today, we spent a tremendous amount of time getting the Historic Bulls teams and their biggest rivals into NBA 2K11. We went out and got the rights to the actual players from each era and spent a ton of time capturing their signature shots, moves, and tendencies. So not only are we building you the perfect Michael Jordan in-game, we are also giving you some of the games great players from yesteryear such as Scottie Pippen, Larry Bird, Dominique Wilkins, and many others. With those guys in the game, it didn�t feel right without adding era specific commentary. I am sure the audio team will get into that more in a future Insight. For now, here are the Historic Teams that will be immediately available for you to play this year: 1985-86 Chicago Bulls 1985-86 Boston Celtics 1989-90 Chicago Bulls 1989-90 Atlanta Hawks 1989-90 Cleveland Cavaliers 1989-90 Detroit Pistons 1990-91 Chicago Bulls 1990-91 Los Angeles Lakers 1991-92 Chicago Bulls 1991-92 Portland Trailblazers 1994-95 Chicago Bulls 1994-95 New York Knicks 1995-96 Chicago Bulls 1995-96 Seattle Supersonics 1996-97 Chicago Bulls 1996-97 Utah Jazz 1997-98 Chicago Bulls 1997-98 Utah Jazz"

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Member Comments

# 261 youvalss @ 07/29/10 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grazz1


	Hype aside Hill was no more a number 1 than Pippen, and nowhere near the defender. Pippen was the main reason the Bulls won in 91 (the Switch on Magic) before injuries took their toll. Same as in 97 (even the Flu game **** MJ) Pippen took Utah so far out of their offence at times.

I'd still Pick Hill.

# 262 Grazz1 @ 07/29/10 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by youvalss


	I'd still Pick Hill.

I know. At least we probably share the same views on Rodman.
On a side note it will be such a shame if Hill (and Nash) never get a ring.

# 263 youvalss @ 07/29/10 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grazz1


	I know. At least we probably share the same views on Rodman. On a side note it will be such a shame if Hill (and Nash) never get a ring.

If it hasn't happened yet, I doubt it ever will. Still 2 of my favorite players ever.

# 264 jd@os @ 07/29/10 02:39 PM

Sorry for getting off the original topic, but I see where both of you guys are coming from.

If Pippen would have played his entire career with Jordan, then I would have picked Hill. I believe I could have built a team around Hill, and I would never have known how good Pip really was...

...but after seeing what he did in the '93-'94 season, I would go with Pippen. If you honestly watched that season and you're not a Houston Rockets fan, chances are you would agree with me, a lot of other sports writers, and SLAM Magazine which STILL talks about it today--Pippen was robbed of the MVP that year. He won the All*Star Game MVP which is nothing, but he was the most VALUABLE player that year (maybe not the best though).

Consider this: the '93 Bulls won 57 games with Jordan; the '94 Bulls won 55 WITHOUT him--but with Pippen as the go-to-guy. That's a TWO game fall off after the G.O.A.T. left. That doesn't mean the Bulls had such a good team as it means Pippen showed how good he was. Even I was shocked and I watched the Bulls since the mid '80s.

For anyone who follows comics, it kinda does remind me of Batman (MJ) and Robin (Pip) in a way lol. People remember seeing them together, but either don't remember or don't know what happen when the sidekick was on his own. Robin became Nightwing--one of the best heroes that people don't know about. And Pippen became the man--something I didn't think he could do.

But all that said...I see where both of you are coming from. I just might have to pick Hill though if I was building my team from scratch.

# 265 Grazz1 @ 07/30/10 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jd@os


	Sorry for getting off the original topic, but I see where both of you guys are coming from. If Pippen would have played his entire career with Jordan, then I would have picked Hill. I believe I could have built a team around Hill, and I would never have known how good Pip really was... ...but after seeing what he did in the '93-'94 season, I would go with Pippen. If you honestly watched that season and you're not a Houston Rockets fan, chances are you would agree with me, a lot of other sports writers, and SLAM Magazine which STILL talks about it today--Pippen was robbed of the MVP that year. He won the All*Star Game MVP which is nothing, but he was the most VALUABLE player that year (maybe not the best though). Consider this: the '93 Bulls won 57 games with Jordan; the '94 Bulls won 55 WITHOUT him--but with Pippen as the go-to-guy. That's a TWO game fall off after the G.O.A.T. left. That doesn't mean the Bulls had such a good team as it means Pippen showed how good he was. Even I was shocked and I watched the Bulls since the mid '80s. For anyone who follows comics, it kinda does remind me of Batman (MJ) and Robin (Pip) in a way lol. People remember seeing them together, but either don't remember or don't know what happen when the sidekick was on his own. Robin became Nightwing--one of the best heroes that people don't know about. And Pippen became the man--something I didn't think he could do. But all that said...I see where both of you are coming from. I just might have to pick Hill though if I was building my team from scratch.

Totally agree. Pippen was often referenced as one of the top 3 guys in the league around this time, with Jordan and Olajuwon. Shaq would have joined my discussion for top 4.

Not only had MJ left but Cartwright and Paxon got even older, and struggled more. Look at their figures, Cartwrights decline each year.

Bill Simmons said upon Pippen's retirement -

"If the answer is "yes" for No. 1, you probably wonder why Scottie's recent retirement wasn't a bigger story. It's not every day one of the 20 greatest players ever hangs it up, right? .... Does anyone even consider the concept of a point forward? Did any other small forward affect a game in more ways? Was there a more influential defensive player in the past 30 years?

During the 1992 Olympics, Chuck Daly called Scottie his second-best player, describing him as the ultimate "fill-in-the-blanks guy." That's right. Like The Wolf in "Pulp Fiction," Scottie specialized in cleaning up everyone else's mess. When Magic was running amok in the 1991 Finals, Scottie shut him down. When the Knicks were shoving the Bulls around in the 1994 playoffs, Scottie dunked on Ewing, then stood over him defiantly. During the Charles Smith game the year before, Pippen and Horace Grant were the ones stuffing Smith again and again. And when the 1998 Pacers tried to snuff out the ... era, ..... and Pippen crashed the boards and willed themselves time and again to the foul line in Game 7, two smaller guys dominating the paint against a bigger team. They just wanted it more.

...Even better, Tubbs could carry his own episode every now and then, which was precisely what happened in 1994.... Scottie (22.0 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 5.6 apg, 49% FG) came within a fishy foul on Hubert Davis from taking Chicago to the Finals. How did he not win the MVP award? Pippen detractors conveniently forget that season, just like they ignore the older Scottie leading Portland to within one self-destructive quarter of the 2000 Finals, or gutting through the 1998 playoffs with two herniated disks, in the process jeopardizing his crack at free agency. It's easy to dismiss him as ... 's sidekick. Or to point to the migraine in 1990's Game 7 against the Pistons. Hey, if all else fails, just bring up the quitter thing."

This says it all - www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?t=164627

When you look at Pippens stats in 94 when everyone wanted to kick the Bulls down and brought their game every night Pip's level rose.
I'd argue you could factor in Pippen's % increase in stats for 1994 and apply them to each of his Bulls years in the 90's to see a more realistic reflecion if you were to swap Pippen to a team where he was top dog.

# 266 Grazz1 @ 07/30/10 08:50 AM

I would bet money that deep down nobody loves Pippen for his on court actions than Michael Jordan himself. Yes other players from the 90's Bulls have picked Pippen as their favourite teammate over Jordan but MJ said many times himself in the later finals that Pippen was the team MVP.

Ah, please erase my memory, get me a season ticket to the Bulls and transport me back to the mid 80's!

# 267 jaywv30 @ 07/30/10 11:50 AM

I just think its great we get to play with all these historic teams again. I will be playing this at LEAST as much as with the current rosters. If I was a fan of a team that is not expected to do very good this year I might play EXCLUSIVELY with the classic roster.

# 268 jaywv30 @ 07/30/10 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jd@os


	Sorry for getting off the original topic, but I see where both of you guys are coming from. If Pippen would have played his entire career with Jordan, then I would have picked Hill. I believe I could have built a team around Hill, and I would never have known how good Pip really was... ...but after seeing what he did in the '93-'94 season, I would go with Pippen. If you honestly watched that season and you're not a Houston Rockets fan, chances are you would agree with me, a lot of other sports writers, and SLAM Magazine which STILL talks about it today--Pippen was robbed of the MVP that year. He won the All*Star Game MVP which is nothing, but he was the most VALUABLE player that year (maybe not the best though). Consider this: the '93 Bulls won 57 games with Jordan; the '94 Bulls won 55 WITHOUT him--but with Pippen as the go-to-guy. That's a TWO game fall off after the G.O.A.T. left. That doesn't mean the Bulls had such a good team as it means Pippen showed how good he was. Even I was shocked and I watched the Bulls since the mid '80s. For anyone who follows comics, it kinda does remind me of Batman (MJ) and Robin (Pip) in a way lol. People remember seeing them together, but either don't remember or don't know what happen when the sidekick was on his own. Robin became Nightwing--one of the best heroes that people don't know about. And Pippen became the man--something I didn't think he could do. But all that said...I see where both of you are coming from. I just might have to pick Hill though if I was building my team from scratch.

And we didn't even talk about the Hue Hollins call....ugh. Had that foul not been called I honestly believe the following happens:

1. Bulls wrap up the Knicks series in Game 6 at Chicago.
2. They beat the Pacers in 5 or 6 in the ECF.
3. They beat the Rockets in 5 or 6 in the finals for the four-peat.
4. Grant probably still leaves and Jordan probably still comes back around the same time...so its questionable if they would have found a power forward to battle Orlando.
5. Questionable whether the Rodman trade would have happened.

# 269 jd@os @ 07/30/10 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaywv30


	And we didn't even talk about the Hue Hollins call....ugh. Had that foul not been called I honestly believe the following happens: 1. Bulls wrap up the Knicks series in Game 6 at Chicago. 2. They beat the Pacers in 5 or 6 in the ECF. 3. They beat the Rockets in 5 or 6 in the finals for the four-peat. 4. Grant probably still leaves and Jordan probably still comes back around the same time...so its questionable if they would have found a power forward to battle Orlando. 5. Questionable whether the Rodman trade would have happened.

I was going to mention that actually. Even though I'm a HUGE UNC fan, I will be the first one to tell you that Scottie Pippen did not--I repeat DID NOT--foul former Tar Heel Hubert Davis; that was a phantom call. So yes: I agree with your #1. As unbelievable as it may sound, that "awesome" Knicks team WOULD HAVE been beaten by a Jordan-less Bulls squad because Pippen was playing on an MVP level that year. Yes, I agree with your #2: you gotta be kidding me if you think the Bulls would have beaten the Knicks but lost to the Pacers; c'mon.

But that's where I think it sadly ends. I think Pip was the MVP that year, but Olajuwon was the best player and that Rockets team was for real. The Bulls would have made it 4 Finals appearances in a row, but the Rockets would have taken the title IMO. However I do think it's laughable when Rockets fans say they would have beaten the Bulls WITH Jordan. That's one of the many differences between Kobe and Michael: Michael NEVER lost in the Finals. NEVER. NE-VER. And he would not have lost that one against Houston either. And I say this while still being a huge Kenny Smith fan; I'm just a realist.

# 270 VDusen04 @ 07/30/10 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaywv30


	I just think its great we get to play with all these historic teams again. I will be playing this at LEAST as much as with the current rosters. If I was a fan of a team that is not expected to do very good this year I might play EXCLUSIVELY with the classic roster.

I'll definitely admit I'm happy about having an alternative Pistons squad to the 2010-11 offering. I always like re-making the 2004 Pistons as well, so it appears options will abound.

# 271 youvalss @ 07/30/10 05:41 PM

From Ronnie2K:

Quote:


	I will be releasing the #NBA2K11 Developer Insight before I leave the office to grab my flight to Vegas at 5.

# 272 GaryT531 @ 07/30/10 06:30 PM

anyone think there will be more classic teams other than the ones that were already announced? maybe they have to be unlocked or something like that?

# 273 youvalss @ 07/30/10 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GaryT531


	anyone think there will be more classic teams other than the ones that were already announced? maybe they have to be unlocked or something like that?

2K guys tend to not give too many details beyond the Insight, so you never know. But I would assume there won't be any because it seems to me nearly impossible to create a mode with as many teams as the "real" game has (acutally more), especially when you need permission from every player that you use. People want 2XAPF 2K8, but only as a little mode inside the real game. I can't see it happening. What we already have is amazing to me.

# 274 Grazz1 @ 07/30/10 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jd@os


	I was going to mention that actually. Even though I'm a HUGE UNC fan, I will be the first one to tell you that Scottie Pippen did not--I repeat DID NOT--foul former Tar Heel Hubert Davis; that was a phantom call. So yes: I agree with your #1. As unbelievable as it may sound, that "awesome" Knicks team WOULD HAVE been beaten by a Jordan-less Bulls squad because Pippen was playing on an MVP level that year. Yes, I agree with your #2: you gotta be kidding me if you think the Bulls would have beaten the Knicks but lost to the Pacers; c'mon. But that's where I think it sadly ends. I think Pip was the MVP that year, but Olajuwon was the best player and that Rockets team was for real. The Bulls would have made it 4 Finals appearances in a row, but the Rockets would have taken the title IMO. However I do think it's laughable when Rockets fans say they would have beaten the Bulls WITH Jordan. That's one of the many differences between Kobe and Michael: Michael NEVER lost in the Finals. NEVER. NE-VER. And he would not have lost that one against Houston either. And I say this while still being a huge Kenny Smith fan; I'm just a realist.

Again, I totally agree. Phantom call. Pippen at MVP level. Bulls make final. Rockets likely win. Pippen would have needed to be the best player in every game and I think if Olajuwon was better in 3 and Pippen better in 4 games the Rockets win due to match ups. I'm glad it all turned out as it did, I think there's only 5 teams in NBA history to never lose in the NBA finals. Am glad the Bulls are one.

# 275 coldblooded_24 @ 07/31/10 01:07 AM

kevin harlem is my favorite annoucer but he doesn't sound like he does in real life
he needs to be more explosive and have better commentary

# 276 youvalss @ 07/31/10 01:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coldblooded_24


	kevin harlem is my favorite annoucer but he doesn't sound like he does in real life he needs to be more explosive and have better commentary

Kevin Harlem? Is he a rapper?

Anyway, he's my favorite as well. I actually like the way he sounds in the game. It's much better than what was 2 years ago, in my opinion.

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