Getting the most of the superstar key on your keyboard

I'm having trouble getting tips on offense and defense for PC players using only their keyboards. and I don't favor using hacks and similar programs.

I'd like to ask PC (keyboard) players to post some tips and tricks they know here.

My tip is:

For big scorers like Gasol, Duncan, Rasheed Wallace, (even Carmelo Anthony when somewhat near the basket) I use a the superstartrigger key combined with the pass key, the ball always go in 90% of the time. ocassionally, from the 3-point arc even.

I've also tried using Superstartrigger + shoot with my 3-pointers, they don't work all the time, but i think the chances of sinking the shot are bigger. I could be wrong though. But it works great with Miller (Grizzlies).

Does anyone know if superstar works while defending? I saw someone able to steal many times playing Billups. I'm not sure if it's Superstar + steal though. I tried mimicking his moves but to no avail.

Among my friends, I used to be the better player with NBA Live 2005. Now we're playing 06, I lost my groove. I really really need help.

For defense, If your guy is an outside stopper, just hold down the super star trigger and tap the steal. Keep tapping it. Haha, it's kinda lame, but i usually average about 8 steals a game like that. I just do a full court press, and just control the point guard and run up and down with thier point guard, hold the super star trigger, and tap the steal button. Usually, force them to change directions, u'll have a higher chance. If they keep walking down with their back to you, u have no chance to stealing it. If your playing against a bad point guard (no names), you get a lot, if you're playing against a good pointguard, it's harder, but if it works for me and my point guard (Larry Hughes) is averaging 8.96 steals a game in 6 minue games. However, once the point guard is pass half court setting up offense or just standing there protecting the ball, you have almost no chance. Flip side is, you get burned really easily, so i usually switch to my center right away to block thier penetration, although it doesn't always work. The opposing point guard usually gets on average 20 points a game. haha.

If the opposing center is dribbling, and you go up to him with a superstar trigger+steal, it'll work 90% of the time.

Another thing to note is, if the pointguard is dribbling with the hand that's close to you (if you know what i mean, the ball is usually on the other side of his body, but sometimes when the point guards move across the court, they keep thier dribbling hand, putting the ball in front of youwhile moving in the other direction), you don't need to hold the superstar trigger, just tap steal, you should see your guy make the move to steal it, i steal those about 50% of the time. If you miss, get ready to help on D.

Another trick is, if your guarding the perimeter, and you sag off a little, and they pass it in to a post, speed down to double and press steal, you get about 60% chance to steal it from the post. Even if you don't, the post just automatically passes it out 75% of the time (because they are double teamed?) and the perimeter guy just catches and shoots, so after you double down, just speed up and jump and disrupt the guys shot, if you get good at this, it's really effective against big centers (duncan, shaq), they'll just pass it out and miss the shot.

These are my defensive weapons in superstar mode, it's what i used to sweap through detriot in the playoffs.

how did you defend in nbalive 2005?

i suggest you don't abuse the superstar trigger. i was the same as you when i first played this game. i had troubles with defending and i thought that my offense was going well until i realized im always using the superstar hookshot and since it is easy to execute i often pass the ball to that superstar and my opponent just tries to intercept the pass.

there are many ways to defend. and this is just my suggestion, i know there are so much better players than me so I hope they also share their tactics. In 2005, I often use my center or powerforward and leave the CPU guard against jumpshots. It worked since blocking abilities in 2005 are rediculously so effective especially when your player has the hand sign. I won't allow layups or dunks. But that defense didn't work out for me in 2006 coz my opponent can easily get in front of me, push himself under the basket and execute an almost ublockable dunk or layup. What I do now is control the Shooting guard or Small forward and try to intercept passes and try to steal from a player with low ball handling skills. Of course, it is not only 1 player working.. you must always call for plays especially when somebody gets free. call for double team so that your teammate will rush against him. when a player tries to do a jumpshot, i (using a SG or SF) always try to crash the boards. in this instance i have an advantage over the my opponent coz oftentimes i have 3 players (C, PF, and SG/SF) to rebound compared to 2 of his (C & PF). There are other tactics that i can say but this post will become so long.

There is a superstar steal, just hold the superstar trigger and "stick" to your opponent and do the steal. This works effectively against Centers and Power forwards. Your outside stopper will try to slap the ball from behind allowing sometimes a teammate to get the fumble.

have fun with 06

but i still suggest u playing with a gamepad~~

There is a superstar steal, just hold the superstar trigger and "stick" to your opponent and do the steal. This works effectively against Centers and Power forwards. Your outside stopper will try to slap the ball from behind allowing sometimes a teammate to get the fumble.

have fun with 06

Yup yup! Exactly like i said =D

i suggest you don't abuse the superstar trigger. i was the same as you when i first played this game. i had troubles with defending and i thought that my offense was going well until i realized im always using the superstar hookshot and since it is easy to execute i often pass the ball to that superstar and my opponent just tries to intercept the pass.

Yup yup, i realized this when i started out with using Yao Ming, hook shot all day, until the final 2 minutes, the CPU doubles like crazy, and then i can't do anything else.
An offensive trick that doesn't abuse the super star trigger without calling plays (learn the plays...they are really useful and you can score without using superstar hook) is if you set it up normally, and the opponent doesn't go zone, you should have point guard on top and wing players on side with post players down low. Dribble your point guard to one wing, and your wing player should go corner. If your post player starts getting into position for a pass (actually bumping their defender, not just standing there), you can pass it to corner and dump it down low. If your guy catches it below the denfender, your usually open and just press the dunk key for a dunk or layup.
Also, if you can, try and pass it to people when they are right underneath the basket. A little further down (closer to basline, sometimes behind the basket) would work too. If you can get it there (a lot of plays make that easy), then you can just press dunk and you can see your guy do a reverse layup somehow and make it in 80% of the time. If you get familar with this, you can earn your post players a lot of rest time, because i often use second string post players and hit them underneath to score. I use this when i sub in all my second string players and still score over the pistons starters (even though they score too, it's too hard to defend if your second string and the CPU is starters)

Oh yea, i forgot to mention earlier, i just play with the sliders that came with the game, i didn't adjust anything, so i think that makes it harder than if you try to adjust the sliders for better game play, so these should work no matter what. hope this helps.

Yes, in 05 blocks were easy...not anymore....

And gamepad is overrated....keyboard baby!

An offensive trick that doesn't abuse the super star trigger without calling plays (learn the plays...they are really useful and you can score without using superstar hook) is if you set it up normally, and the opponent doesn't go zone, you should have point guard on top and wing players on side with post players down low. Dribble your point guard to one wing, and your wing player should go corner. If your post player starts getting into position for a pass (actually bumping their defender, not just standing there), you can pass it to corner and dump it down low. If your guy catches it below the denfender, your usually open and just press the dunk key for a dunk or layup.
Also, if you can, try and pass it to people when they are right underneath the basket. A little further down (closer to basline, sometimes behind the basket) would work too. If you can get it there (a lot of plays make that easy), then you can just press dunk and you can see your guy do a reverse layup somehow and make it in 80% of the time. If you get familar with this, you can earn your post players a lot of rest time, because i often use second string post players and hit them underneath to score. I use this when i sub in all my second string players and still score over the pistons starters (even though they score too, it's too hard to defend if your second string and the CPU is starters)

!

yeah! i love the "high screen" play wherein 4 players go baseline and you got 2 wingmen. combine this with "mid power" so that the SF and SG switch positions. Sometimes the defender gets stuck at the middle trying to follow the 2 who will go opposite sides.

Indeed it is very hard to block the reverse layup coming way baseline below the basket. the timing in blocking is hard coz your tendency is to immediately jump at the time the offense does the layup. if you delay your jump, when using your center or power forward you can block it. but dunks below the basket.. no blocks for that. i often intentionally foul them if they get too deep. just prevent passes from the low post..

yeah! i love the "high screen" play wherein 4 players go baseline and you got 2 wingmen. combine this with "mid power" so that the SF and SG switch positions. Sometimes the defender gets stuck at the middle trying to follow the 2 who will go opposite sides.

cool! this are one of the plays i'm really looking for. combination of plays that'll free up your players. i'll try this once i get home from work.

For defense, If your guy is an outside stopper, just hold down the super star trigger and tap the steal. Keep tapping it. Haha, it's kinda lame, but i usually average about 8 steals a game like that. I just do a full court press, and just control the point guard and run up and down with thier point guard, hold the super star trigger, and tap the steal button. Usually, force them to change directions, u'll have a higher chance. If they keep walking down with their back to you, u have no chance to stealing it. If your playing against a bad point guard (no names), you get a lot, if you're playing against a good pointguard, it's harder, but if it works for me and my point guard (Larry Hughes) is averaging 8.96 steals a game in 6 minue games. However, once the point guard is pass half court setting up offense or just standing there protecting the ball, you have almost no chance. Flip side is, you get burned really easily, so i usually switch to my center right away to block thier penetration, although it doesn't always work. The opposing point guard usually gets on average 20 points a game. haha.

If the opposing center is dribbling, and you go up to him with a superstar trigger+steal, it'll work 90% of the time.

Another thing to note is, if the pointguard is dribbling with the hand that's close to you (if you know what i mean, the ball is usually on the other side of his body, but sometimes when the point guards move across the court, they keep thier dribbling hand, putting the ball in front of youwhile moving in the other direction), you don't need to hold the superstar trigger, just tap steal, you should see your guy make the move to steal it, i steal those about 50% of the time. If you miss, get ready to help on D.

Another trick is, if your guarding the perimeter, and you sag off a little, and they pass it in to a post, speed down to double and press steal, you get about 60% chance to steal it from the post. Even if you don't, the post just automatically passes it out 75% of the time (because they are double teamed?) and the perimeter guy just catches and shoots, so after you double down, just speed up and jump and disrupt the guys shot, if you get good at this, it's really effective against big centers (duncan, shaq), they'll just pass it out and miss the shot.

These are my defensive weapons in superstar mode, it's what i used to sweap through detriot in the playoffs.

lets see u keep tapping steal in my setting...its like real life, u keep on stealing randomly means u will probably get lots of fouls

Thanks for the tips guys.

NBA LIVE is meant to be played with a logitech dual action gamepad not a keyboard.

maybe you're right. but i became a better player with a keyboard coz almost all of my fingers work. also my hand gets tired faster when using a gamepad.

NBA LIVE is meant to be played with a logitech dual action gamepad not a keyboard.

i have read from a topic here that the logitech gamepad is not very good. some have suggested to buy a ps2 adaptor instead.

Still they agree on useing a gamepad.

maybe you're right. but i became a better player with a keyboard coz almost all of my fingers work. also my hand gets tired faster when using a gamepad.

yp me too, i intend to get tired faster in a gamepad rather than a keyboard