How do you play D in this godforsaken game ???

[Uncle Drew]

This game is a analogy, How do you play defense, besides controlling one man? I repeatedly get burned on the break, because my men won't get back down court. last man back button is useless. I need some tips on playing defense or I'm gonna use this game as a coaster lol. Thx for any
advice.

[shadowgrin]

Last man back doesn't pick the "last man" (the player near the halfcourt line). It just picks the last player you were controlling on defense.

[Ty-Land]

just keep playing and you'll get the drift of it. Maybe check out the sliders thread to make gameplay a little more realistic. Also use the defensive stance position when guarding the perimetre to prevent/limit drives and when players pass put your hands up in attempt to intercept it. Defending in the post is a bit trickier but practice makes perfect.

[shadowgrin]

Defending in the post is a bit trickier but practice makes perfect.

True, but I have an easier time defending the post than controlling an outside defender. Players (human or cpu) usually get past by me when I use an outside defender that's why I control the bigmen (C's, PF's) for defense.
When controlling a player for post defense, try to anticipate the player/ball movements instead of concentrating on just one spot (ball/player).

[EGarrett]

You shouldn't crash the boards if you control a guard. That tends to give up a lot of breaks.

...the last man back button DOES control the last guy back on defense as far as I know...

And you probably should slide down the computer's shooting and up your defensive assist and on-ball physical defense so they can't slide past you at will.

The game actually plays pretty well once you do that.

[Wormy10]

What everyone else just said plus practice practice practice

[Laxation]

dont use the last man back button, use the icon pass button. know who your going for

[beau_boy04]

i thought the game had outside and inside stopper? are they useless too?

[Matt]

inside stopper owns

[Tim*The King*Duncan]

Outside stopper works too, the best advice to stop guards is to play off of them. Don't try to bump them or play tight D, only works in 05 and below. In 06, one of the reasons I like the game, is if you play the man too close, you'll get burned, but if you play him too far, then he'll pull up for a jumper, just like basketball huh? duh!?

Play a step back while holding on the right analog stick down, after his first step, he'll usually get bumped.

Also, an effective D strategy is, if the player is better than your defender and you know he's gonna get by you, use your nearest big man and hold up on the right analog stick and double team the player for him to give up the ball then reset your D, just like real basketball! huh? Ya! Try watching a real game then simulating, that's the best way for you to know how to play. If it happens on T.V., it will be loosly translated into the game, that's what makes it so chalenging, everyone is used to playing the dorky arcade style. Even without slider changes, you'll get a good game, its all in the D. They are truley right, practice, practide, practice.

A suggestion. Play a season or dynasty, use the fanatasy draft option. Now reorder the draft list according to defensive awareness. Don't worry about offense. You'll get players like R. Bowen, bruce bowen, tyron lue. Just draft a defensive team. Then practice with that. You'll get the hang of it. And see why the spurs and pistons are so effective, because the coach always says, play defense and the offense will take care of itself.

[BBBBBlockMe]

damn, EA is making it harder and harder for players who doens't play/watch Basketball IRL....

------------------------------
Look at this photoGRAPH
Every time I do it makes me LAUGH
How did our eyes get so RED?
And what the hell is on Joey’s HEAD?

This is where I grew UP
I think the present owner fixed it UP
I never knew we ever went withOUT
The second floor is hard for sneakin’ OUT

This is where I went to SCHOOL
Most of the time had better things to DO
Criminal record says I broke in TWICE
I must’ve done it half a dozen TIMES
...

[Tim*The King*Duncan]

Haha, Yup, I think that's the point, the game to be an extension of the real thing. hehe. You don't have to watch or play ball to play ESPN 06. hehe

[Rim]

BBBBBlockMe
U can switch 2 rookie mod, it's really hard 2 loose there.

[BBBBBlockMe]

BBBBBlockMe
U can switch 2 rookie mod, it's really hard 2 loose there.

Nah, I'm leet, I Need to play on Superstar and PWn.

[BlaqthotsC]

Hell of good point and tip thx

[shkoller]

After a missed shot the game will get your point guard back very fast. Find him (for me direct switch is more effective than last man back to do this) and bring him up reasonably close to the CPU's point guard. Once point guard is on point guard, the CPU seems to think its supposed to go to an offensive set instead of a fast break.

I've also found that the game really punishes positional mismatches. Got a small forward guarding the CPU's point guard? You could have Bruce Bowen guarding the CPU's grandma and your flakes are going to get frosted. Make sure you're guarding like positions. Bring your point guard from across the floor if you have to.

I still don't play very good defense, but these tips have made me suck less. Hope they help.

[Draakon]

I've been a bit in trouble myself with a defence. With realistic sliders, I'm more-less able to get CPUs penetration under control so they cannot get into the paint easily, but when CPUs big guy (C or PF) gets ball near basket it seems that nothing could stop them. Any suggestions about in-the-paint defence?

[Patr1ck]

As far as getting your guys back on D quicker, you can stop the cpu from inbounding the ball so quickly by staying in front of the point guard. That buys your guys time to get back. The cpu will wait until it has an open pass or you can steal/deflect the inbounds pass. The other way is when I score with a layup with my PF/C I jam back on D holding turbo and switch to anybody lagging behind so I can get them up court.

[Jing]

u play d by getting in the way XD

[bigh0rt]

I've been a bit in trouble myself with a defence. With realistic sliders, I'm more-less able to get CPUs penetration under control so they cannot get into the paint easily, but when CPUs big guy (C or PF) gets ball near basket it seems that nothing could stop them. Any suggestions about in-the-paint defence?

The key is trying to stop the penetrating pass from happening. As with in the NBA, once a 7 footer gets the ball in the paint, chances are it's going in the bucket unless you've got a good defender with good positioning (and relative height) as well. What you've got to try and do is position your defender in such a way to cut off the passing lane to the post player.

[Draakon]

Actually, one thing I really like about Live 06 is that this game considers player height as in real life. So If PF happens to get around basket with only PG on him, he can make a shot easily (as far as I remember, in 2004 shooter usually missed if there was a defender trying to stop him, height difference didn't matter really).
But it still makes me furious if CPU beats my big guy constantly in 1-1 situations around the rim... would it help if I use double-team as soon as CPU gets ball under the basket? Or will it make things worse if he's able to pass it out for 3PT shooter?

Another combination that CPU plays successfully: my opponent's PG is coming from right side of the court, he moves a bit left and passes ball to left, to SF who makes an instant mid-range jumper. The thing is, that for the time this SF gets ball, my SF is blocked by CPUs Center (CPU's SF moves behind the center, gets ball and shoots). So it takes about second to get to shooter and it's already too late. For example Sacramento exploited it a lot against me and Peja scored 5-6 consecutive shots that way.

[ProofOfAStar]

It's better to play man on man defense, or half court trap. I never run full court press unless it's necessary, it creates too many fast breaks. And try to stay infront of your man. If you do double team control the player on the weak side. You'll be able to make a steal if he decides to pass it that way.

[TheBatman]

MY SLIDERS IMPROVE DEFENSE COMPLETELY!!!

~*~*~The Most Realistic Settings for 12 Minute Quarters~*~*~

GLOBAL

GAME SPEED - 40
FREE THROW - 75
FORCE FIELD - 100
INJURY - 5
FATIGUE - 45
CHARGE/BLOCK - 25
SHOOTING FOUL - 25
REACH IN - 25
IN-AIR COLLISION - 25

USER

STEAL - 25
INTERCEPTION - 0
BLOCK SHOTS - 25
DUNK/LAYUP BLOCK - 25
FREESTYLE EFFECT - 75
DUNK VS LAYUP - 25
SUB FREQ - 45
ON-BALL DEF ASST - 100
OFF REB - 40
DEF REB - 75
FAKEOUT DISCIPLINE - 40
SHORT RANGE - 23
MED RANGE - 23
LONG RANGE - 23
DUNK % - 23
LAYUP % - 23
ADJUSTED SHOT - 23
ON-BALL PHYS DEF - 100
POOR RELEASE - 23
DOUBLE TEAM - 75
PRO HOP - 25
DROP STEP - 40

CPU

STEAL - 25
INTERCEPTION - 0
BLOCK SHOTS - 25
DUNK/LAYUP BLOCK - 25
FREESTYLE EFFECT - 75
DUNK VS LAYUP - 25
SUB FREQ - 45
OFF REB - 40
DEF REB - 75
FAKEOUT DISCIPLINE - 40
SHORT RANGE - 23
MED RANGE - 23
LONG RANGE - 23
DUNK % - 23
LAYUP % - 23
ADJUSTED SHOT - 23
ADJ SHOT FREQ - 75
ON-BALL PHYS DEF - 100
POOR RELEASE - 23
DOUBLE TEAM - 75
PRO HOP - 25
DROP STEP - 40

[flipz]

23 field goal%--damn dats gotta be kinda hard to make some shots or even worse for the CPU, u dont even have to play D with ur sliders cuz CPU will miss by default

[Laxation]

23 field goal%--damn dats gotta be kinda hard to make some shots or even worse for the CPU, u dont even have to play D with ur sliders cuz CPU will miss by default

you wont even need defence, just 5 guys all with 90+ rebounding lol
if the ball goes in (ever) good luck to you then