In the last two years I’ve gained 40 lbs. You know what, I'm going to blame it on my relocation to the Midwest. During the winter it's cold and you've got that wind chill that makes your bones shake. When it is that cold, all you want to eat! Plus, when you’ve got Butterburgers, Italian Beef and Deep Dish Pizza within a 5 mile radius can you blame me for putting on the weight?
You know what’s even better than Midwest fast food chains though? Half Price Books. They’ve got well... books of course. But, there’s also vinyl, CDs, DVDs and video games. If you’re lucky you can find some cool games. Recently, I've picked up Silent Hill: Shattered Memories for Wii and Street Fighter Alpha 3 for PSP. I really wanted to pick up Persona 4 Golden for Vita but there is no way I'm paying two hundred fifty bucks. Sometimes the prices are absurd, but it's still fun to stop by Half Price every so often to check out the games section.
Where I grew up, the only places where we could buy games were GameStop, Target or Goodwill. GameStop smells like Axe body spray and weed. Goodwill has ten plus copies of Madden 12 or FIFA 08. Half Price Books on the other hand, has everything from GBA games to PS4 games. Nintendogs they've got you covered. Call of Duty, you'll be sure to find that as well. Its cool to see something other than 20 different old sports games!
With a bunch of different retro games on the shelves, you'd assume I'd get something cool and unique. Nah, I bought NBA Live 19 last month.
NBA Live's Last Shot
NBA Live in the early 00s was the game of choice for any basketball fan out there. In my experiences no one really messed with 2K back then, or even heard of it for that matter. This definitely started to change when 2K added MyPlayer in 2K10 and with 2K11’s Jordan challenges. Not only did 2K have some very popular game modes, it also had a more simulation feel to their games. It nailed what players were looking for in a basketball game. On the other hand, NBA Live was an odd combination of a half arcade, half simulation basketball game. It seemed there was an overnight switch from fans playing Live to 2k. By the year 2012, EA ended their run making basketball video games and canceled their upcoming hoops game, NBA Elite 13.
That was until NBA live 14.
Then they shut that shit down and took another gap year and came back with NBA Live 16. EA decided they needed another gap year in 2017 and would be back with NBA Live 18. They had one final go at it with NBA Live 19, and have not released a game since. While this was all going on with the Live series, I was playing 12 minute quarters, 82 game seasons in 2K with my custom expansion teams. I had no reason to pick up a Live game and honestly looked down on it. Why would I play a worse version of 2K? Basically, my respect for Live at the time was like the Warriors respect for Westbrook’s 3 point shot.
When I saw Live 19 on the shelf at Half Price I had to see what was up with this series. Why couldn’t it seem to bring back its glory from the old days. Was 2K really that much better? Even though I probably should have bought the Yakuza Like a Dragon definitive edition, I wanted to give Live a chance and see if it was any good.
Presentation & Visuals
When you boot up your first game, NBA Live really looks just like an ESPN broadcast. It’s got the actual ESPN ticker at the bottom just like something you'd see on TV. There are cool camera angles on the replays that look like something you’d see during a intense playoff matchup. They've even got a halftime show presented by the sharpest hairline in sports media, Jalen Rose. Stadiums have packed and passionate fans cheering on their squad. At times it can really feel like you’re watching a real game. that is until you remember that you’re playing as the Wizards who can barely fill the stands and have probably been on ESPN once in the last 5 years.
The presentation, and sounds are awesome. However, player animations and movements can be hit or miss. At times, movement looks really smooth. For example, dribble animations are realistic and can flow together nicely. Jump shots, while not as accurate as 2K, vary from player to player. Dunks also have a solid impact and punchiness to them. When you watch slow motion replays, I think it can look better than 2K at times.
Here’s a great example. Take a look at this video below of Marcus Smart getting Derrick Jones jr leaning, and then finishing with contact on Olynyk with the and1. He even flexes after the sequence. Looks awesome!
In bursts, Live looks great. Kind of similar to a heat check player off of the bench. But, just like Kendrick Nunn, NBA Live 19's animations are not always cashing out from three. One area where the animations are not so hot is when players are jumping. On a rebound or blocked shot, players jump really high, and wayyy too straight. It just looks clunky and unnatural. Players who couldn't clear a phonebook have bunnies for days. In NBA Live, guys like Zach Randolph could definitely clear a Kia like Blake Griffin.
Another one of my gripes with the animations of the game is that it is hard to distinguish one player from another. Luka Dončić dribbles, moves and looks just like Evan Fournier. Joel Embiid operates in the post the same way as Thomas Bryant. Rudy Gobert blocks shots just like Frank Kaminksy III. Yes, NBA Live does have different dribble packages, dunk packages and jump shot forms, but I personally just do not see much variation in these packages. At least from a distance I can't. If it weren't for the attribute differences, you can often forget who is who on the floor.
At least the player models look solid. For the most part they are close to their real life counterparts. I’ve seen some that look great, while some are questionable.
Exhibit A: D.J Augustin
Exhibit B: Doug McDermott
As a whole though, I think NBA Live nailed it with their presentation and visuals. From a distance it looks like a real ESPN broadcast. Just sometimes when you take a closer look it can make you laugh with goofy animations or player models.
Gameplay
NBA Live is a nice change of pace from NBA 2K. It feels different enough to make it stand out, but also similar enough where your brain doesn’t need to completely rewire to play. EA put in a good effort to make it feel more like a simulation basketball game. You can’t just splash a three if you are being defended. Not every player can dribble like the Kyrie or Deron Williams. Also if you don't have the right attributes you won't be able to dunk like Stromile Swift. If you want to score, run your offense and get an open shot for a bucket. A more simulation feel mixed with different and unique animations make it feel like a viable alternative to 2K.
As a whole, the way the game controls is decent. Dribble moves are done with the right stick, and most of the controls like passing, shooting, calling plays are the same as 2K. Everything here works for the most part, it can just be a bit clunky. It could be my brain expecting things to work like 2K though. Plays, or movements that I am expecting to turn out a certain way don't always pan out accordingly.
Dribbling
When it comes to dribbling, it’s snappy and you can link together fun combos. They even added some dribble moves that are not present in 2K. Some of these flashy dribble moves are a lot of fun to pull off. Since many of these moves are not present in NBA 2K, it gives you a reason to go back and play Live 19 even in the year 2023. Take a look at Chris Paul pulling this one off on Steph Curry right into his sweet spot in the mid range.
NBA Live also loves ankle breakers. The first time you see it, you’ll feel like you’re watching Frank Nitty in a ball is life video. It can be very satisfying to break some ankles and hit a jump shot or drive for a layup. Here is Yogi Ferrell turning Derrick white into Wesley Johnson.
The ankle breakers and new dribble moves are something you don’t see too often in 2k. Awesome additions to the Live series! My only complaint though is that it happens a bit too often and in cases where an ankle breaker was not warranted.
Passing
Passing on the other hand, I am not the biggest fan of. It can take way too long for a pass to make its way over to the recipient. For instance, after pressing the pass button, the player passing holds the ball way too long. This often results in a turnover. On top of that, there are slow looping passes that look like something from a youth Rec league game. I find that if I want to get an accurate pass I have to use icon passing. The one highlight with passing would be the dribble hand offs. If you hold the Circle button it triggers a dribble hand off. This is really useful when a Center receives the ball in the high post or along the arch and you want to run an action to get a shooter open. These dribble hand offs create some separation for the recipient and that little bit of space can be an open jumper for a guy like Curry.
Shooting
While I’m not the biggest fan of the passing, I do like the shooting. I often get frustrated with shooting in 2K. Maybe it’s because I suck, but if you don’t hit a green or perfect release you ain’t making your shot in 2K23. Live feels a bit more generous. You don’t have to hit a perfect release if you are wide open, and it has a shot meter I prefer. When a player closes out you still have a chance to make the shot unlike 2K. The shot meter is also easy to read and get green releases with. It's nice to actually be able to hit a jump shot!
Blocking
My absolute least favorite thing about Live 19 is the shot blocking. The shot blocking in this game is out of control. I'm afraid to even take a layup in the paint because I know that the CPUs center is going to fly out of nowhere to block the shit out of my shot. Don't get me wrong, defense is great, and there is nothing more fun then blocking a shot on defense. However, it becomes a problem when it feels like all of you layups and shots in the paint get denied. Also, because of the odd jumping animations in this game, it makes the shot blocking look goof as hell. Check out King James getting blocked by Harrell. Plays like this happen way too often.
Offensive Plays
Since Live has become more like a simulation basketball game, you do have to run a solid offense to get a bucket. To do this you’ll have to run Pick and Rolls, screens, ISOs or set plays. Live has quick plays that when working, works great. You’ve got, ISO, cut, screen and post up that are easily accessed with the D pad. I often will dump a pass into the post, trigger a cut and and hit the player slashing to the paint for an easy bucket. Also, if I run a PnR that goes nowhere, I’ll use a screen play to get some movement on offense to get someone open. These are easy to pull off and are not too complicated. Unfortunately, I’ve had some issues where the play just does not work. I remember one instance where I had a guard on LaMarcus Aldrige and wanted him to post up. I pressed the post up play numerous times but he just stood there staring into space. Another frustrating thing here are PnRs. To run a pick and roll or pop you press and hold L1. it just never seems to get the right person you want to set the screen. You’ll have 3-4 plays in a row where the center is the one setting the screen. Next time down the floor your guard will set it when you wanted it to be your center. When you need a consistent play calling system to score it can be annoying when things do not work properly.
Post ups
I love the low post. I’ve spent countless hours watching Al Jefferson, Andrew Bynum and Hakeem Olajuwon post move compilations on YouTube. Sadly, the footwork, moves and countermoves seen in the low post is becoming a lost art in today's space and pace NBA. Luckily I still get to see post moves in NBA video games. Whenever I’m playing a 2K I like to run my offense through the low post. Unfortunately, I’m not the biggest fan in the world of how the post feels in NBA Live. I have a hard time getting the move I want. Sometimes your best option is to just press square and get a cheesy hook shot that goes in way too often. Players will also pull off some complete BS in the post. Watch Ian Mahimni turn into Hakeem Olajuwon.
Shameless plug here, check out my beat called left block with some Big Al post ups.
CPU
A big issue with Live is the A.I. For instance, the computer does not play like a real NBA team. In the 22-23 season, the average number of threes hoisted was 35.2 a game. That’s a crazy number. You would expect a simulation basketball game to play the same way. However, while you can hoist a bunch of threes with your team, the computer does not do the same. The last two games I played against the computer, they shot a combined 2/3 from 3 (6 min quarters). I did have a couple of outlier games where it seemed the CPU was shooting more from the arch, but, it's not very consistent.
The lineups the A.I chooses to use are suspect as well. Against the Blazers, they were running a Nurkic and Whiteside front court duo... Holy clogged paint. Also, against the Wizards the CPU ran a Isaiah Thomas, Ish Smith, Bradley Beal, Isaac Bonga, Ian Mahinmi lineup with 1:30 left to go in a game. That’s a lineup alright... Oh, and don't even get me started on the time the Cavs subbed in Channing Frye at the SF position. The CPU's lineup rotations are rough.
One positive is that the CPU does a solid job at feeding the hot hand. In my franchise mode with the Wizards, I was playing against the Blazers and got torched by Lillard. They were giving him ISOs, high PnRs and having him pull up from deep. It was a fun battle and made it feel like an actual NBA game when a player catches fire.
While the gameplay itself makes strides in seeming more realist, the flow of the game itself is not realistic
Roster
If you’re a basketball fan like me, going back to older NBA games is a treat because you get to look at the rosters. One of the first things I always jump to is the free agents. Sometimes you’ll see some guys way past their prime still available to be signed. I'm looking at you Dwayne Wade. Other times, you’ll see some players who were probably back in Europe at the time. I always like to think that the devs at Live were like "eh fuck it, we’ve got this player model from the last year, just throw him in the free agents." Let's take a look at some of my favorite Free Agents in Live 19!
Free Agents
Jordan Crawford: One word to describe Jordan Crawford. Microwave. Pure hooper fans out there love players like this. It seems like in today’s NBA these types of players are going by the wayside. I’d say his closest comparison would be similar to a Bones Hyland. They both have the ability to light it up if they're on that night. To Jordan Crawford's credit, he was a bit more smooth with his handles than Bones. If the shot clock is running out, give to Jordan Crawford, he'll find a way to get a bucket. Last bit about Crawford, he did win player of the week in the 2013 season.
Dirk Nowitzki: It’s always funny to see the washed up guys still available in the Free Agent market. While he can't move, The signature Dirk fadeaway is still unstoppable. If you're a franchise game mode fan like me, players like these are always a fun signing in a to give 'em one last shot. For example, I gave Boogie Cousins one more go in 2k23 and had him averaging 20+ ppg a night. We had a losing record, but at least the fans were happy.
Miloš Teodosić: For those who have not had the chance to see some of this guy’s passes on YouTube you gotta look it up. He’s a wizard. Insane no look dimes and always threading the needle on PnR. On top of that he also somehow pulls off incredible full court passes the seem effortless. Unfortunately, he came to the league a bit too late and was a bit too slow to stay in front of any guards. His time in the NBA was disappointing as a whole, but there were still has some fun moments at the tail end of lob city. With all this being said, how could they do this to by boy Miloš. He looks like more like Tony Montana from than the Serbian Point God.
Isaiah Canaan: Another one of those bucket getters. Before that gruesome injury he was on a tear for Pheonix. Since that season, he has not made his return to the NBA. Currently, he’s still doing his thing in Europe. If you sign him on your squad just be sure to yell, THE CANOOOON! whenever he makes a three.
Michael Beasley: Mr. Walking bucket himself is available in the free agents. If you need instant offense off of the bench get this man on your franchise team asap. I signed him on my Wizards franchise and get great scoring off the bench from him. Someone needs to get this man back in the league!
Free agents aside, does the overall roster this year interest me enough to come back? Not really... There were a lot of teams with some poor and boring rosters. The teams I found myself using the most were:
Spurs: Gotta love the high post moves from Aldridge mixed with the Mid Range scoring from Derozan. This mixed with some 3 point shooting makes this a good team to use with multiple scoring options.
Starting Lineup
Derrick White
Bryn Forbes
DeMar DeRozan
DeMarre Carroll
LaMarcus Aldridge
Thunder: Lots of PnR ball handlers in this starting lineup. Gallinari when healthy is a great point forward. When you've got CP3, SGA and Gallo, you can cause have some tricky attacks to your offense. Plus you've got a clamp god in Roberson on the squad for some good balance.
Starting Lineup
Chris Paul
Andre Roberson
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Danillo Gallinari
Steven Adams
Clippers: I find that the Clippers are one of the most well rounded teams to use. You've got great two way players like PG and Kawhi. If you need a bucket in the post. Three and D with pat Bev. Plus off the bench you've got one of the best 6 mans of all time, Lou Williams. There's just so may different ways to score with this squad, they're
Starting Lineup
Patrick Beverly
Paul George
Kawhi Leonard
Montrezl Harrel
Ivicia Zubac
Outside of these squads and a few others, there are a lot of teams where I just don't find that interesting or fun to go back to and play. This could definitely change 10 years from now. Going back and playing NBA Live 03 is great because there are so many players that have since retired. A lot of these players are still in the league and still usable in 2k23.
Is it worth playing in 2023?
I would describe my time with NBA live 19 similarly to DeMarcus Cousin’s stint in Golden State. A play making center that can score, rebound and spread the floor. A perfect fit on paper. It just didn’t pan out.
There are still fun moments to be had, and if you need a break from the gameplay of 2K, this is a great change of pace. Just be ready for some clunky animations, poor A.I and for your shot to get blocked way too often.
I've been doing some livestreams on YouTube of my Wizards Franchise. Tune in to check it out!
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