NBA 2K12 Online play question

[AsPeHeat]

Hey there, what's up?

I have a simple question : Is it possible to play NBA 2K12 online (on PC) without a proper CD-key?
I made an account and it's tracking my progress while playing Dynasty/My Player games, and I am able to enter the Online game menu. However, I wait for 20 minutes to find an opponent and then I just exit. I heard people wait for too long to find an opponent, so I'm not sure?

Also, I saw here there is a sale on Amazon where I can get a game for $9.99. If I do so, will I be able to play online?

Thanks in advance!