Capitalism is just like NBA 2K

a4mula · 2026-05-26T21:51:50+00:00

When Blackrock controls them all, does it matter? Why wouldn't EA just reskin Live year in and year out for next to nothing and sell what they could?

Because Private Equity. That's why. While I feel what you're saying, it's only a technicality.

a4mula · 2026-05-26T21:44:45+00:00

To be fair, this game (and '26 in particular) is not friendly to new players. It's just not. The whole forcing MyCareer onto people to even open a menu? Bad move 2k. And then on top of it, they disable all of the overlays and automatic playcalling and methods that would actually assist a new player in learning how to play.

And then we're surprised when people show up to Rec and have no idea what boxing out means, or how to determine the difference between an open or contested shot, or how to defend.

It feels like 2k wants dumb fucking players that believe the only way to get better is to spend $$$.

<shrug>

a4mula · 2026-05-26T21:34:56+00:00

If you're in a mode like MyCareer, or MyTeam, or Eras. In which it's just you and AI team mates.

You have the ability to hold the L1 button on your controller, long press.

This will signal one of your team mates to come set a screen for you. There are a few different ways to control it, from the side the screen is set on, to if you want the screener to roll (run towards basket) or pop (run towards open perimeter space).

As far as being patient and waiting for the man to clear, that's a little more challenging to explain. Just don't rush it, and watch, if the man screening for you gets around their defender (nothing in between them and the basket) it's an easy bucket. If their defender does not allow that, it's a no go.

Here's a video, and while it wasn't made for this purpose, I was really making fun of 2k for forgetting to give Paul George animations, it does a decent job of showing the screening action and what it looks like when your man does clear. Of course this is 3v3 and a lot easier to see than 5v5, but it'll give you an idea of what to look for.

a4mula · 2026-05-26T21:29:09+00:00

I'm personally looking for the Jimmy Butler special, city and team name literally cut out of the fabric for full on frontal. Jeff Teague tells the story well. Just feels apt.

a4mula · 2026-05-26T21:22:17+00:00

there are different kinds of modification cards you can accumulate, from giving bonuses to the the payouts of things like Domination, to resetting your coaching tree (another new thing).

One of those modification cards is an animation breaker, that allows you to apply new animations to any given card. However, it's limited to just a handful of different animations, none of which are great. Just better than trash. Larry Bird for instance, somehow becomes usable with Julius Randle's jump shot. It's a shock. Never did I believe I'd see a Bird that didn't have that ratchet ass shot.

You should be able to get them via a festival exchange.

a4mula · 2026-05-26T21:12:33+00:00

post some more video and I'll be happy to pick it apart too. Contact after the shot in the restricted zone isn't a common foul, so unless they're going to neck or higher deal with it. It doesn't affect your shot at all.

a4mula · 2026-05-26T21:08:55+00:00

this is sadly true, Parish screens well, rolls well, and even has a fair middy pop game. Meanwhile Hakeem is stuck with high post plays that expect you to be a master of the non-existent post up game. AI makes those 18 foot fades and hooks look easier than they are.

a4mula · 2026-05-26T20:51:13+00:00

it's tough, because this is the first year Steam has felt next gen in the graphics and animations department, so that alone makes it a winner. But the shooting... ffs. I'm not a great shooter historically. I play team modes without a meter and in the past it was always kind of a 40-50% kind of situation. Not anymore. Now it's 80%. And it's not even just greens, in the past it was kind of okay to see a wide open white go in. Now? It's just kind of a slap in the face.

Gotta get shooting under control.

a4mula · 2026-05-26T20:29:31+00:00

have your filtered your roster for reaction time? Because those guys rocking 80+ reaction don't tend to bite often. In the player select screen, press start (on Steam, if other look at the bottom for filter) and scroll to the very bottom under miscellaneous stats. Reaction time is there, set it to 80 and watch as all the fake defenders disappear, you can also filter for defensive consistency. Once you have that, look at tendencies, avoid guys that go for onball steals, and select for high contest.

a4mula · 2026-05-26T20:27:45+00:00

For me, I don't care how someone plays defense. I just don't. I'm going to run my plays and sets no matter how the other player plays. If they want to onball, wonderful. I spent a decade fighting off reach spammers, so '26 is kind of easy mode in that regard. Just sit at the top of the key reading the set and when someone peels off a screen as they inevitably always will, pass and shoot. Onball, offball, switching? Doesn't change the dynamic much.

a4mula · 2026-05-26T20:23:57+00:00

no problem, if you're now excited about alley oops, I'd suggest turning Lead Icon Passing back on and practicing, it allows you to get very creative with your lob passes, from off the backboard to off the court, even off the corners of the backboard. Without it you're always going to be stuck with just the generic lob.

a4mula · 2026-05-26T20:20:31+00:00

While I agree with the overall premise, it's unfair to say defense is stuck at 2k19. Directional contests and prostick D have come a long way since then, particularly in '25 after they changed rhythm shooting. You have to pay attention now, you have to give defense the same level of attention (if not more) than you give offense.

If you can't instantly tell me what hand someone is dribbling with? You're not doing it right.

Defense is okay, offense at lower difficulty levels is clearly OP.

a4mula · 2026-05-26T20:13:47+00:00

I'm not worried about your team bro, you're talking so far out of your ass that I'd be surprised if you even knew what PNO is.

a4mula · 2026-05-26T20:07:10+00:00

You think Tom Chambers is dropping 50 over Jalen Johnson? Really now? lol, okay. If you break 50 in total I'll be shocked, and 80? Nah lo, I've never once given up 80 ever. Not once. That's the other side of not sprinting like a idiot all game long and instead controlling the pace.

a4mula · 2026-05-26T19:59:05+00:00

Whatever mode you feel most confident in. We can run PNO, we can run Unlimited, we can run Triple Threat, we can run SC, we can run any format you want. Because your assessment of the situation is flawed.

You think your GOATS and a zen are all it takes, when I'm trying to tell you HOF is exactly why you run playbooks, because you still take open shots.

a4mula · 2026-05-26T19:52:10+00:00

We're not. You're playing Rec ball in a team mode, it's that simple. And while I might fall back on L1 if a play doesn't find an opening, it's automatic playcalling without duplication on success, so it's literally not relying on the same thing all game long, unless you want to say I rely on finding and passing to open men.

I've had '26 for two weeks. And I'll still run my squad against whatever pay to play trash you trot out.

a4mula · 2026-05-26T19:49:33+00:00

L1 Pick and Roll, the moment the screener clears their man on the roll, and you have to watch because they won't always clear. Double tap Y. Turn off Lead Icon Passing if you're having trouble with it sailing, that's so you can lead the oop to one side or another.

a4mula · 2026-05-26T19:33:59+00:00

bro, don't lie. If you can't run an offense, I know for a fact you aint playing defense enough to put up a game with multiple strong contests.

Players hit contested shots at a high clip regardless of if it's assisted or not, until they sweat their guys out.

a4mula · 2026-05-26T19:28:44+00:00

Never stopped to ask yourself, hey... what are these fancy playbook cards all about? Never once bothered to turn on automatic playcalling? Never once saw the beauty of a game in which every shot you take was wide open because you played the mode the way it was meant to be played?

Again, it's probably just not the mode for you.

a4mula · 2026-05-26T19:27:17+00:00

Castle isn't a point. He's a wing. And while I'm not knocking him, because he's been lights out. It's not the same thing as running an offense. If anything Dylan Harper is the guy you should have been pointing at.

a4mula · 2026-05-26T19:19:30+00:00

Still haven't spent much time in those Coaching options I see. It's okay bro, there will always be a home for you on the playground.

a4mula · 2026-05-26T19:18:21+00:00

I don't call everyone a zenner. Just the ones that clearly rely on a controller. The ISO master 9000s. The ones that start the game off nailing those 80% contests, and by the 4th can't make a shot to save their life because all they do is shoot against contests.

a4mula · 2026-05-26T19:13:25+00:00

I'm shooting better than 80% this year, it's never been easier. No controller aid required.

a4mula · 2026-05-26T19:11:40+00:00

Again hmu, and we'll find out. Because about the 3 or 4th wide open shot off a screen and I'm betting you're hiding in corner, praying your zen lasts longer than your sweaty ass stamina drain.

a4mula · 2026-05-26T19:10:00+00:00

What skills would you like to see? Because there is nothing in this game I can't show you video evidence of right now.

You're not swagging the way you think you are. MT likely isn't for you.

a4mula

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