I love basketball so much, I've even found the video games enjoyable. Unfortunately because I don't own a console system, I've been forced to play the lowly NBA Live 2004, and might not even bother with 2005 unless its like 10 bucks. My list of rants goes on and on about that game's lack of realismm, help defense or off the ball movement. I think what gets me is the Shaq 3 pointer when you're playing such a powerful zone, that Shaq says "okay 3 seconds left on the ticker, I'm going to step back behind the 3 point line and get nothing but net right in the defender's face." I was ready to drop an F-bomb on that one. But on the plus side is I can smoke anybody with the league's most disappointing players since nobody plays defense anyway and it's way too easy to score in the post or on the break. Here's Bender with his 5 three pointers, 2 blocked shots, 35 points, 7 rebounds on the hardest mode. Here's my quadruple double game with Yao. I guess a passing, shotblocking big man comes in handy.
29th in the dynasty mode draft can get you Yao Bender Jumaine Jones Michael Redd Tony Parker with a bench of Vladimir Radmonovic Bruce Bowen Damon Jones Mark Blount Speedy Claxton Jeff Foster Trenton Hassell Brian Cardinal Fred Hoiberg Jiri Welsch And somehow the team manages to outscore every opponent and lock them down with tough defense with Yao, Bender, and Redd on the floor at the same time on hard mode with the sliders all pointing in favor of the cpu.... yeah.... right. BTW subbing out Yao with Parker, Damon Jones, Redd at small forward, Bender, and Foster make some fun run n' gun games or all big guys with Yao, Blount, Radmo, Bender, and DJ is kind of fun too.
Even on really hard settings, I always find a way to outsmart the computer. But, I can get run over by real players.. doh!
The secret in 2004 is to use the pro hop move like crazy and have Ben Wallace and Marcus Camby as your inside presence. Get anyone who can both dunk and shoot. I recommend Bdiddy, Kobe, Vince Carter, and it doesn't matter who your front court is. Player versus player is more chaotic as nobody really does half court play or values posessions. Just double team, steal the ball and run like crazy for the breakaway slam dunk. Also Vince Carter is pretty sick in that game. I guess that's the benefits of showing your face on the cover is that you get to have an awesome video game player. He can stuff somebody like Yao a lot with his shotblock rating.