NLSC Podcast #586: The Dunkers, A New Indie Hoops Game

[Andrew]

NLSC Podcast #568: Dunk Contest Woes & Frustrating Average Joes

Hosts: Andrew & Dee4Three

This week, we're reacting to the 2025 Slam Dunk Contest, and the suggestion that threepeat champion Mac McClung has established himself as the greatest dunker of all-time. We're inclined to disagree, and are bewildered by the lack of acknowledgement of the boosts that he gets on most of his dunk attempts! Additionally, we've got a few thoughts on the use of props and gimmicks in the contest in general. We also join the community in discussing the most frustrating types of players to play with and against in organised leagues and pick-up alike, and recap a couple of fantastic sessions with NBA Live 16 and NBA Live 10; two games that continue to surprise and delight us, years later.

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Join in the conversation right here in the Forum! Additionally, feel free to hit us up with any feedback on the episode, as well as mailbag questions and topic suggestions for future episodes. The show also comes out on our YouTube channel, so be sure to subscribe for future episodes and other video content.

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[Andrew]

NLSC Podcast #569: Fixing All-Star Weekend

Hosts: Andrew & Dee4Three

In the wake of yet another dismal and disappointing All-Star Weekend - one that saw more advertising and extracurricular events than actual basketball - this week we join the community in discussing ways that the NBA can possibly fix their midseason classic. From potential format changes, to methods of incentivising players to try harder, to paying tribute to the history of the Weekend, we brainstorm different ideas to make All-Star Friday, Saturday, and Sunday all worth watching once again. We also touch on the notion that the league should just scrap the All-Star Weekend entirely; a suggestion that's been made by a number of fans who are fed up with what the event has become.

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Join in the conversation right here in the Forum! Additionally, feel free to hit us up with any feedback on the episode, as well as mailbag questions and topic suggestions for future episodes. The show also comes out on our YouTube channel, so be sure to subscribe for future episodes and other video content.

Never miss an episode by subscribing to the NLSC Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! You can also find us on Stitcher.

[Andrew]

NLSC Podcast #570: Is Nostalgia Ruining the NBA?

Hosts: Andrew & Dee4Three

Is nostalgia actively ruining the NBA? Channing Frye and other talking heads certainly seem to think so, but frankly, we have a very different take on the matter! This week, we join the community in providing an impassioned rebuttal to yet another asinine talking point that's blatantly intended to disrespectfully dump on the league's history, and the many great players of the past. We also reflect on why so many fans are yearning for a return to the NBA of yesteryear or simply not enjoying the current product, and respond to the notion that today's players are unfairly criticised compared to their predecessors; a ridiculous suggestion to those of us who were actually watching basketball back then!

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Join in the conversation right here in the Forum! Additionally, feel free to hit us up with any feedback on the episode, as well as mailbag questions and topic suggestions for future episodes. The show also comes out on our YouTube channel, so be sure to subscribe for future episodes and other video content.

Never miss an episode by subscribing to the NLSC Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! You can also find us on Stitcher.

[Andrew]

NLSC Podcast #571: Biggest What Ifs in NBA History

Hosts: Andrew & Dee4Three

What are some of the biggest What Ifs in the history of the NBA? This week, we join the community in reflecting on what might have been, from the tragedy of Len Bias to the various injuries, trades, and Draft picks that shaped the fortunes of teams and players alike. This includes some of the NBA Finals matchups and results that could've come to pass if not for a couple of plays going another way, or indeed, a certain all-time great retiring in 1993! We also discuss a couple of other interesting notes about the 1986 Draft, and some of the international players who could've had a better run in the NBA if the opportunity was there for them when they were in their prime.

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Join in the conversation right here in the Forum! Additionally, feel free to hit us up with any feedback on the episode, as well as mailbag questions and topic suggestions for future episodes. The show also comes out on our YouTube channel, so be sure to subscribe for future episodes and other video content.

Never miss an episode by subscribing to the NLSC Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! You can also find us on Stitcher.

[Andrew]

NLSC Podcast #572: Ranking NBA 2K6 Through NBA 2K13

Hosts: Andrew & Dee4Three

The seventh generation saw NBA 2K pull ahead of NBA Live - and for good reason - but which 2K titles stand out as the best releases during that run? This week, we join the community in ranking NBA 2K6 through NBA 2K13 on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 - as well as the PC ports from NBA 2K9 onwards - discussing the key strengths and weaknesses of each game, while also sharing some of our personal memories and experiences with them. We also discuss some of the factors that make games stand out as classic and nostalgic releases, such as the season they're set in, and the presence of fun teams to put on the virtual hardwood years and indeed decades later.

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Join in the conversation right here in the Forum! Additionally, feel free to hit us up with any feedback on the episode, as well as mailbag questions and topic suggestions for future episodes. The show also comes out on our YouTube channel, so be sure to subscribe for future episodes and other video content.

Never miss an episode by subscribing to the NLSC Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! You can also find us on Stitcher.

[Andrew]

NLSC Podcast #573: Best & Worst Alley-Oop Mechanics

Hosts: Andrew & Dee4Three

The alley-oop is one of the most exciting plays in all of basketball, and to that point, it's vital that we can expertly throw lobs on the virtual hardwood as well. This week, we join the community in recalling the best and worst alley-oop mechanics that we've experienced in basketball video games, primarily focusing on NBA Live and NBA 2K. We've also been connecting to play co-op over Parsec a lot recently, which includes sessions with NBA 2K7 for PlayStation 3, NBA Live 95 for Super Nintendo, NBA Street Vol. 2, and NBA Live 06 PC using an old 1998 season mod. Naturally, this leads to some reflections on the teams we used, as well as the benefits of emulation in 2025.

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Join in the conversation right here in the Forum! Additionally, feel free to hit us up with any feedback on the episode, as well as mailbag questions and topic suggestions for future episodes. The show also comes out on our YouTube channel, so be sure to subscribe for future episodes and other video content.

Never miss an episode by subscribing to the NLSC Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! You can also find us on Stitcher.

[Andrew]

NLSC Podcast #574: Q&A With Andrew and Derek

Hosts: Andrew & Dee4Three

The community has some questions, and fortunately, we've got some answers! At the suggestion of listener Rene, this week we're holding a Q&A with questions taken from our social media. The Q&A covers a little bit of everything: favourite foods, favourite video games of other genres, our preferred strategies on the virtual hardwood, Tom Chambers' Hall of Fame credentials, experiences meeting NBA players in real life, our top basketball movies, and more. We hope that you enjoy hearing our thoughts on this array of fun topics - and maybe learning a thing or two about us as well - as we definitely enjoyed answering all of your questions!

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Join in the conversation right here in the Forum! Additionally, feel free to hit us up with any feedback on the episode, as well as mailbag questions and topic suggestions for future episodes. The show also comes out on our YouTube channel, so be sure to subscribe for future episodes and other video content.

Never miss an episode by subscribing to the NLSC Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! You can also find us on Stitcher.

[Andrew]

NLSC Podcast #575: NBA 2K9 vs. NBA Live 09

Hosts: Andrew & Dee4Three

We recently played NBA 2K9 and NBA Live 09 over Parsec, with a view to starting a co-op season in one or both of them. In addition to recapping the fun we had during those sessions, this week we're comparing and contrasting the 2009 season releases from EA Sports and Visual Concepts. We reflect on how they were both notable improvements over their immediate predecessors, discuss a couple of the teams that we'd potentially like to use in our season, and reminisce about the NBA of that era. The community also weighs in with their views on the comparison, and recalls some of the teams that they liked to use in NBA 2K9 and NBA Live 09.

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Join in the conversation right here in the Forum! Additionally, feel free to hit us up with any feedback on the episode, as well as mailbag questions and topic suggestions for future episodes. The show also comes out on our YouTube channel, so be sure to subscribe for future episodes and other video content.

Never miss an episode by subscribing to the NLSC Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! You can also find us on Stitcher.

[Andrew]

NLSC Podcast #576: Favourite Unlicensed Basketball Games

Hosts: Andrew & Dee4Three

Although we mostly play and primarily cover NBA and NCAA licensed basketball video games, there have certainly been some classic releases that lack their high profile branding, as well as real teams and players. This week, we join the community in recalling some of our all-time favourite unlicensed basketball video games. We also name a handful of favourites that only licensed one or two real players, starred fictional characters, or otherwise didn't have anything to do with the NBA or NCAA. As we discuss, these games inspired us to use our imaginations, created many Virtual Hardwood Legends, and sometimes included impressive features and gameplay mechanics.

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Join in the conversation right here in the Forum! Additionally, feel free to hit us up with any feedback on the episode, as well as mailbag questions and topic suggestions for future episodes. The show also comes out on our YouTube channel, so be sure to subscribe for future episodes and other video content.

Never miss an episode by subscribing to the NLSC Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! You can also find us on Stitcher.

[Andrew]

NLSC Podcast #577: Other Games in Our Rotations

Hosts: Andrew & Dee4Three

While we'll never get sick of basketball gaming, we're taking a quick timeout from the virtual hardwood this week as we join the community in listing and discussing some of the other video games that are currently in our rotations. This includes reflecting on the aspects of those games that are keeping us hooked on them, while also noting some of the similarities to our basketball gaming habits. We also discuss finding new ways to play old favourites including self-imposed challenges and choosing different classes or character builds, and fondly recall the fun we had getting a small taste of some classic games thanks to shareware and demo discs back in the day.

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Join in the conversation right here in the Forum! Additionally, feel free to hit us up with any feedback on the episode, as well as mailbag questions and topic suggestions for future episodes. The show also comes out on our YouTube channel, so be sure to subscribe for future episodes and other video content.

Never miss an episode by subscribing to the NLSC Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! You can also find us on Stitcher.

[Andrew]

NLSC Podcast #578: All Things Basketball with Stildo33

Hosts: Andrew & Dee4Three
Special Guest: Stildo33

It's been a couple of years, so this week community member Ken (aka Stildo33) makes an overdue return to the show! We chat to Ken about his new business venture bringing competitive gaming to kids, and his experiences schooling the youth on the virtual hardwood. We also get his thoughts on NBA 2K25, including MyNBA Eras and the Eras rosters. Ken also provides an update on his retro season mods for NBA 2K19, and we discuss modding techniques and the importance of attention to detail. He also shares more memories of playing Ultimate Basketball for NES and a couple of other old school favourites, how he stays connected to basketball, and his takes on Payton Pritchard and this year's Boston Celtics.

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Join in the conversation right here in the Forum! Additionally, feel free to hit us up with any feedback on the episode, as well as mailbag questions and topic suggestions for future episodes. The show also comes out on our YouTube channel, so be sure to subscribe for future episodes and other video content.

Never miss an episode by subscribing to the NLSC Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! You can also find us on Stitcher.

[Andrew]

NLSC Podcast #579: Fantasy Drafts in NBA 2K25

Hosts: Andrew & Dee4Three

What are the best lineups that we can assemble picking from players in the modern NBA? This week, we fire up NBA 2K25 and run separate fantasy drafts in MyNBA Eras to craft teams that we believe would be both successful and a lot of fun to play with on the virtual hardwood. The exercise leads us to share a few more thoughts on NBA 2K25, and the community's attitude towards it. We also recap a couple of fun co-op sessions with NBA Live 2000 and NBA 2K13, using the All-Decade teams and a 1985 season roster respectively. Both games continue to impress us all these years later, demonstrating that the best releases are timeless and undoubtedly worth revisiting.

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Join in the conversation right here in the Forum! Additionally, feel free to hit us up with any feedback on the episode, as well as mailbag questions and topic suggestions for future episodes. The show also comes out on our YouTube channel, so be sure to subscribe for future episodes and other video content.

Never miss an episode by subscribing to the NLSC Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! You can also find us on Stitcher.

[Andrew]

NLSC Podcast #580: Our All-Time Favourite Teams

Hosts: Andrew & Dee4Three

Which teams have we most enjoyed watching, and indeed putting on the virtual hardwood, throughout all of our years of basketball fandom? This week, we join the community in naming our favourite teams from our favourite franchises, our favourite teams from franchises that aren't our chosen clubs, and our favourite bad teams; bad of course being a relative term in some cases! This leads us to reminisce about a wide variety of teams, from NBA Champions and perennial contenders to flash-in-the-pan squads, basement dwellers, and memorable underdogs, as well as the lineups that made them such fun teams to use in basketball video games for one reason or another.

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Join in the conversation right here in the Forum! Additionally, feel free to hit us up with any feedback on the episode, as well as mailbag questions and topic suggestions for future episodes. The show also comes out on our YouTube channel, so be sure to subscribe for future episodes and other video content.

Never miss an episode by subscribing to the NLSC Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! You can also find us on Stitcher.

[Andrew]

NLSC Podcast #581: Let's Talk About Our Favourite Highlights from Basketball History

Hosts: Andrew & Dee4Three

What are some of the most memorable plays that we've seen in all of our years watching basketball? This week, we join the community in reminiscing about a few of our all-time favourite highlights. Considering our favourite teams, players, and eras to watch, some of our choices might just surprise you! Of course, a couple of others certainly won't be particularly shocking. We also discuss which game should be featured in the next NLSC Tournament that will be played over Parsec, hopefully in the near future. The community also has some suggestions in that regard, and suffice it to say, there are some very popular picks when it comes to sim and arcade titles alike.

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Join in the conversation right here in the Forum! Additionally, feel free to hit us up with any feedback on the episode, as well as mailbag questions and topic suggestions for future episodes. The show also comes out on our YouTube channel, so be sure to subscribe for future episodes and other video content.

Never miss an episode by subscribing to the NLSC Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! You can also find us on Stitcher.

[Andrew]

NLSC Podcast #582: Summer Gaming Plans

Hosts: Andrew & Dee4Three

With the 2025 NBA season rapidly drawing to a close, how will we be spending our Summer (or for that matter, our Winter) on the virtual hardwood? This week, we join the community in discussing the basketball video games that we plan to play and mod in the coming months. While NBA 2K25 will remain in the lineup, it's clear that basketball gamers will still be sticking with some old favourites! We also discuss if and how the offseason impacts our basketball gaming habits, some of the mods that we'd like to work on, and other video games that will likely be in our rotations when we need a break from hoops. Spoiler: a new Garfield Kart game might just be among them!

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Join in the conversation right here in the Forum! Additionally, feel free to hit us up with any feedback on the episode, as well as mailbag questions and topic suggestions for future episodes. The show also comes out on our YouTube channel, so be sure to subscribe for future episodes and other video content.

Never miss an episode by subscribing to the NLSC Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! You can also find us on Stitcher.

[Andrew]

NLSC Podcast #583: Our Thoughts on the 2025 NBA Season

Hosts: Andrew & Dee4Three

With only a few games left before a team hoists the Larry O'Brien trophy once more, we're inclined to share some thoughts on the year that was in the NBA! To that point, this week we join the community in discussing our level of interest in the 2025 NBA Finals and whether we'll be watching the rest of the way, as well as rating the 2025 season as a whole. This includes our thoughts on the way that the NBA is being covered right now, and the lacklustre promotion of the Finals by ABC. We also touch on whether or not parity is better for the league than the dominance of a dynasty, and Mike Breen's recent comments regarding the philosophy behind what merits a "BANG!" from him on the mic.

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Join in the conversation right here in the Forum! Additionally, feel free to hit us up with any feedback on the episode, as well as mailbag questions and topic suggestions for future episodes. The show also comes out on our YouTube channel, so be sure to subscribe for future episodes and other video content.

Never miss an episode by subscribing to the NLSC Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! You can also find us on Stitcher.

[Andrew]

NLSC Podcast #584: Is the NBA Rigged?

Hosts: Andrew & Dee4Three

Unfortunately, controversy is overshadowing the action of the 2025 NBA Finals following Game 4, which leads us to ask: is the NBA rigged? This week, we join the community in discussing our thoughts on this decades-old question, and to what extent the league may manipulate results, both today and in previous eras. We also discuss how talking heads - particularly Stephen A. Smith and Kendrick Perkins - are finding ways to make themselves the stars of the NBA Finals instead of the players who are actually competing in them. From coverage of the sport to the integrity of the officiating, we're seeing a showcase of some of the most frustrating aspects of basketball in today's era.

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Join in the conversation right here in the Forum! Additionally, feel free to hit us up with any feedback on the episode, as well as mailbag questions and topic suggestions for future episodes. The show also comes out on our YouTube channel, so be sure to subscribe for future episodes and other video content.

Never miss an episode by subscribing to the NLSC Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! You can also find us on Stitcher.

[Andrew]

NLSC Podcast #585: Our NBA 2K26 Wishlist

Hosts: Andrew & Dee4Three

As we reach the midway point of 2025, the preview season for NBA 2K26 is suddenly looming on the horizon. With that in mind, what are we hoping to see in the next sim basketball game from 2K Sports? This week, we join the community in discussing our Wishlists for NBA 2K26, beginning with our suggestions for improvements to gameplay, mechanics, and controls, and then moving on to our ideas for modes, features, content, presentation, and other aspects of the game. Although we did feel more positive about NBA 2K25 and remain cautiously optimistic about NBA 2K26, there are definitely some key enhancements and additions that can and should be made in this year's release!

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Join in the conversation right here in the Forum! Additionally, feel free to hit us up with any feedback on the episode, as well as mailbag questions and topic suggestions for future episodes. The show also comes out on our YouTube channel, so be sure to subscribe for future episodes and other video content.

Never miss an episode by subscribing to the NLSC Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! You can also find us on Stitcher.

[Andrew]

NLSC Podcast #586: The Dunkers, A New Indie Hoops Game

Hosts: Andrew & Dee4Three

Although we generally focus on the Triple-A scene, there's definitely untapped potential for the virtual hardwood and blacktop in the indie gaming space. To that end, this week we discuss The Dunkers, a 2D indie basketball title that's currently available in Early Access on Steam. Following a competitive session with the game, we're hoping that it will continue to be updated and ultimately fulfil its potential! We also once again touch on the possibility of EA Sports returning to basketball gaming with NBA Live or a college basketball game. Little did we know that a big announcement was on the horizon, so we'll undoubtedly be coming back to this topic in the very near future!

Tune in here!

Join in the conversation right here in the Forum! Additionally, feel free to hit us up with any feedback on the episode, as well as mailbag questions and topic suggestions for future episodes. The show also comes out on our YouTube channel, so be sure to subscribe for future episodes and other video content.

Never miss an episode by subscribing to the NLSC Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! You can also find us on Stitcher.