Well...I am NOT a newcomer
I own Live 95, 99, 2000, 2003 and 2004. I've played loooots of games with 95, played my leagues. Live 2000 is really almost perfect, regarding the stats and teams cannot have two or more players with the same number on the roster, which is so in Live 2003. But the animations and a few other things are better in Live 2003.
Live 2003 has some weaknesses, e.g. computer cheating when he is behind, too many blocks, too high FG% BUT:
You can tweak ratings and NOW the game is fun! I shoot about 45-52% a game, score 85-115 points a game. My starting center is averaging 10.5 rebounds, my power forward 10.1. Just take a look at my homepage and check out the statistics!
Ok, most centers and power forwards have FG% of 55 or something but this was always the case, also in Live 2000. PF and C stand near the basket and dunks, hook shots, low-range jumpers are more likely to go in then three-pointers and mid-range-jumpshots. This was also the case in Live 2000.
A problem with default rosters in Live 2003: too many three-pointers taken by the computer but the conclusion to this: select the computer's sets...quarter 1 set 1, quarter 2 set 3, quarter 3 dynamic, quarter 4 set 1.
(see my homepage, "how I play").
As the only negative things in Live 2003 remain:
1. two or more players have the same number on a roster. You can change this for your team manually but not for the rest (franchise mode)
2. Rookies in franchise mode have too high ratings BUT I tweak theam, takes me about 1.5 hours a season but that doesn't matter much.
3. Rookies' stats are unrealistic as they do not have DSTATS but that doesn't matter as well for me as I am only interested in the stats of my team.
4. Computer cheatting when behind! But this is compensated as I hit a lot of freethrows and when the computer is backing down, he very often gets called for charging.
5. Blocks sound like explosions and fly through the whole arena but once you get used to it it's ok. And blocks are not too many after tweaking, I have Michael Olowokandi as my startings center, he is averaging 2.5 BPG in my current season.
Live 2004 --> I don't like this bouncing of the players and it is too complex for me, this dunk-layup-jumshot-thing. Don't know what it is called, you press a button and the player drives to the basket with a layupanimation.
And in Live 2005 you will be able to select the dunks while playing, or am I wrong with this? There is a thread in the Live 2005-section.