Tips for a beginner?

[J-Rod]

I'm new to NBA Live (well, I did play it about 3 years ago for a month or two. I'm a huge NFL fan and play Madden every year, but wanted to give NBA Live a shot during the off-season. I'm not a great arcade player (I can't count the number of times I got the "Dunk" button confused with the "Shoot" button) and I don't know the game of NBA too well. Does anyone have some suggestions on gameplay?

I am currently playing at the "rookie" level and have further adjusted the sliders a touch in my favor (about 10% better). I usually sim the first 3 12-minute quarters (or 2 if it's an important game) and I can ocasionally come back from a 10 point deficit (although I can also blow a 10 point lead easily enough).

Here are some areas I'd like help with:

1) Offensive & Defensive plays - what are these? Are there any lists of what each of them are (or even what the names are)?

2) Defense - very often the computer is able to get a free lane to the basket walking around my defenders like they're pylons. Any way I can shut that down?

3) What kind of playmakers should I target? Are they all equally useful, or are some better than others? I notice I have a few players with multiple skills... (like LeBron)

4) Bonehead passes - it seems at least once per game (one quarter) I have a player that makes a pass that is so terrible it ends up in the 10th row in the stands (either behind the basket or behind the player's bench). Often those were SUPPOSED to be Ally-oop passes, but they were nowhere near the targets... am I doing something wrong?

5) Intentional fouls - is there any way to avoid the intentional foul (my player just huddles up and lets himself get touched) -AND- how do I do that against the computer? When I'm down and want to foul, my guys just continue to cover... even repeated "steal" attempts don't cause a foul, and the AI just throws the ball around for 24 seconds...

6) Drawing fouls - I am usually called for 4X as many fouls as the AI... how do I increase the number of fouls called in my favor and decrease the number of fouls called against me?

7) Any suggestions on trading? I have cap space, but the players I want to trade nobody seems to want (e.g. ovr 70 Stephen Jackson at $5mil+ per year). Are draft picks really valuable things to have?

8) How do you develop players? Is time on the court a main contributor to development or is it mostly the coaching? (note -in Madden if a player doesn't play, he doesn't develop).

Finally, generally what are good things to do in the game? I find often I have very good shooting percentages (I'm usually around 15-25 or so) but the computer is MUCH better at taking shots with a much lower percentage - for example they will finish 10-30, but have about 15 free throws compared to my 4-6, which means I score about 35 while they score about the same.

Thanks in advance for any advice. I'm having fun at the game but just wish I knew more about it...

[nekejin]

well, i'll try
1) you can call an offensive play with the ball while you're attacking... it' better for you to call it right when you arrive with your playmaker at the 3 points line... if you go into the offensive plays screen you can change the play that you call with the button (from 1 to 4)... the first four are always default and you cannot modify it, to use the other four simply press 2 times the button indicated to activate it during the game... well... let's explain the default plays one by one
pick & roll- one of your teammates (usually the center or the power forward) comes to a pick... that means that he goes under your defender and block him so you can pass without many difficoulties... the play usually finishes with a pass to the man who made the pick or with a penetration by the playmaker or a quick shot
3 points play- simply the guards and the small forward goes out of the 3 points range to receive the ball and shot!
isolation- all player without the ball goes to the corner to allow the ballhandler to penetrate against the defender... use with quick playmaker and guards like allen iverson or kobe bryant
post play- the center and the power foward (when they are without the ball) goes under the basket to receive the ball
if you want me to explain the others just pm me
the defensive plays are quite useless... i never use it, because most of them requires the partecipation of the teammates controlled by the cpu...
2) press down the right analog stick if you have an analogic joystick to make your defender go down to his legs and stop the penetrations... otherwise pay attention at any minimum movement of your enemy... another way to stop easy penetrations is to take the "power field limit" (i don't if this is the exactly name in the english version, in italian is "limite campo di forza") to 90 at least in the game options- general settings...
3) usually i prefer quick and with great ballhandling and passing abilities (such as steve nash and chris paul... in my toronto dinasty i made a trade to obtain keyon dooling that is not a great shooter, but i use it only to help his teammates) but all depends on what kind of team are you building up and what are your key player (maybe you can post here your formation)
4) well... if they aren't alley oop i think it's because you pass from a too long range... if they're alley oop you have to pass the ball right in the moment in wich the player is under the basket
5) no, there isn't any way to avoid the intentional foul... to cause an intentional i usually just press the steal button near the player with the ball, and this always work
6) you should try to steal the ball only in the right moment (usually when the ballhandler keep the ball in his hands or is stopped). when they penetrate you should always jump, it's better try to block a shot and foul than give 2 points
7) it depends on the situation in wich your team is... if the team is strong and you have an useless player that is strong, than you should try to obtain a draft pick... otherwise leave 'em there, because draft players doesn't have a good development from what i saw... you have to look also at what the other team needs, and if the player that you want isn't too strong (they will never let you have their star player for example)
8) i'd say, it's 50-50, because... the player progress at the end of the season depends on the time on the court, but if you want him to develop during he same season, you have to coach him...
i don't think that a percentage around 15-20 is good... try to select more you shots, pass the ball many times to make the defence move...
definitely, the best way to learn to play and enjoy this game is to read some basketball magazines that explain trades and tactical tips
i you wan't more information don't exithate to ask me in a pm or in msn at nekejin@msn.com
ps: i excuse myself another time for my poor english... as you can see....i came from italy

[Patr1ck]

5) There is a way to avoid intentional fouls, but its not perfect. What I do to take time off the clock is make sure I have enough space between me and the defender before I take the inbounds pass, then I hold the shoot button, and pass it in midair, then do the same thing - hold shoot and pass midair. It'll take more time off the clock, but you will eventually get fouled.

[hecksoner]

what up jrod

i will tackle the trade suggestions...

i am known for never keeping a team intact. I like surrounding my marquee guys with young up and comers and free agent specialists.

TIP #1

and this i tell anyone who wants advice.

when you know who you want, find out what the other team wants. be it a point guard, shooting guard, etc. if you don't have that position player already on your team (or don't want to trade him) then sign a free agent (the best one you can afford for less than 900,000/year) and couple him in with one other players that will make the salaries match.

in other words, first find the player you want. then find out what the other team needs or wants. and if you don't have already that, sign it and then propose a better trade to them.

TIP #2

think two or three trades ahead. with a lot of salary cap room, you should be willing to take on big contracts for the sake of acquiring more talent.

TIP #3

don't ONLY trade for big names. try to figure what your team needs (ex: a shot blocker, a stealer, a rebounder, a three point specialist)...

Most teams already have that marquee and your job should be to fill out the roster with role players that you know how to control and most importantly, that the CPU will know how to control for you while you are busy controlling the marquee guys. (Mainly becuz they are the ones who gather the most stats)

I think that's enough for now.

If I didn't bother you too much, get back at me. I'm always willing to hear how players progress.

I love this game.

HA

[fuck_ya'll]

Tip #1-- You should discover things yourself.

Tip #2-- "Practice makes perfect"

[Moop_Moop]

I agree with the preceding poster. We could give you all the tips in the world, but it won't make you half as good as good ol' fashioned practice. Just get out there and play, and over time you'll see improvement. It's what I did.

On the side though, for defense, instead of trying to block the guy right away, meet him at an angle. For instance, if he drives to your left, move back a little and then left to get your feet there before he does. Note though, that if you're playing AI, you're screwed.

[samson]

#2 - use the center or the power forward ( that's what i do). let them drive and then "REJECTION"!

#6 - i really don't konw how to draw fouls either, but i keep the fouls called against me pretty low by only using a freestyle defender when attempting to steal the ball.
other wise i don't really committ fouls.

#7 - try trading for equal players that have simmular salaries. also try adding in nobody players into the deal. one player for one player doesn't really work that well when i attempt a trade.

#4 - attempting an ally oop with a player that can't pass very well will result in countless turnovers. let the best passers throw the oop and the worst catch.

#5 - intentional fouls is the select button on the ps2

hope this helps yo