An EA SPORTS™ videogame simulation of the entire 2008–09 season using NBA LIVE 09 predicts that the Los Angeles Lakers will reach The Finals for the second year in a row, this time emerging victorious over the Miami Heat in six games. The 2008 NBA Champion Boston Celtics remain a force, finishing third in the Eastern Conference with 44 wins before getting upset in the Eastern Conference Finals by the Miami Heat. Despite struggling throughout the 2007-08 season, the Heat advance to the NBA Finals for the first time since their NBA Championship win in 2006.

 

NBA LIVE 09 simulation Award Winners:

· Houston Rockets’ Yao Ming completes an injury-free season and captures the MVP Award after posting 25.8 ppg and 11.1 rpg.

· Kobe Bryant of the championship winning Lakers leads the league in scoring with 27.9 ppg.

· Rockets’ Ming, Lakers’ Bryant and Pau Gasol, Celtics’ Paul Pierce and the Denver Nuggets’ Allen Iverson complete the All-NBA First Team.

· Memphis Grizzles’ OJ Mayo will take home Rookie of the Year honors.

· Randy Foye of the Minnesota Timberwolves is awarded Most Improved Player Award. 

·  In addition to capturing the NBA Championship, Lakers head coach Phil Jackson will take home Coach of the Year honors.

 

A simulation is conducted by artificial intelligence or logic of the videogame that uses real-life data from each player. Results are extrapolated by the videogame when two teams match up based on player ratings, line combinations, and include variances such as injuries and hot streaks to give a realistic outcome of a game or series.

 

Pre-season simulations make the assumption that teams will stay healthy and play a season without any big trades, which would alter the end result. NBA LIVE 09 can now be used as a predictive throughout the season to simulate results of big match ups and the rest of the season with authentic data driving the artificial intelligence.

 

Powered by Synergy Sports Technology – the premier analytics provider of NBA data for more than 20 NBA teams – Dynamic DNA emulates an NBA player with absolute precision. Synergy Sports Technology indexes each possession of every NBA game in real time. This data will drive the logic of the game and update every single day of the season to reflect what you see on the court in your virtual experience. NBA LIVE 09 can now be used as a legitimate predictive tool and will be made fresh daily, with the start of the 2008-09 NBA season on October 28.

1 Los Angeles                           65                     17                     0.793

2 Houston                                 59                     23                     0.720

3 Dallas                                    54                     28                     0.659

4 New Orleans                           53                     29                     0.646

5 Denver                                   50                     32                     0.610

6 San Antonio                           50                     32                     0.610

7 LA Clippers                            47                     35                     0.573

8 Phoenix                                 46                     35                     0.573

9 Utah                                       45                     37                     0.549

10 Portland                               33                     49                     0.402

11 Golden State                        31                     51                     0.378

12 Memphis                              30                     52                     0.366

13 Sacramento                          29                     53                     0.354

14 Minnesota                            28                     54                     0.341

15 Oklahoma City                      23                     59                     0.280

1 Miami                                     55                     27                     0.671

2 Detroit                                   48                     34                     0.585

3 Boston                                   44                     38                     0.537

4 Chicago                                 41                     41                     0.500

5 Cleveland                               41                     41                     0.500

6 Orlando                                  40                     42                     0.488

7 Toronto                                  40                     42                     0.488

8 Charlotte                                39                     43                     0.476

9 Milwaukee                              37                     45                     0.451

10 New Jersey                           37                     45                     0.451

11 Philadelphia                          37                     45                     0.451

12 Atlanta                                 36                     46                     0.439

13 New York                              32                     50                     0.390

14 Washington                          30                     52                     0.355

15 Indiana                                 29                     53                     0.354