NLSC Podcast #578: All Things Basketball with Stildo33

[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.

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 #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!

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.

[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.

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.

[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.

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.

[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.

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.

[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!

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.

[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.

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.

[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.

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.

[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.

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.

[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.

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.