TEAM STRATIGIES INSIDE...

[weed manus]

Atlanta Hawks
Best Offensive Play: Pick&Roll W/Antoine Walker
Three-Point Threat: Antoine Walker
Best Defense: 2-3 Zone
Lockdown Defender: Josh Childress
Inside Scoring: Antoine Walker

Boston Celtics
Best Offensive Play: Isolation W/Paul Pierce
Three-point Threat: Paul Pierce
Best Defense: 2-3 Zone
Lockdown Defender: Paul Pierce
Inside Scoring: Raef LaFrentz

Charlotte Bobcats
Best Offensive Play: Post Up W/Emeka Okafor
Three-point Threat: Kieth Bogans
Best Defense: 2-3 Zone
Lockdown Defender: Emeka Okafor
Inside Scoring: Emeka Okafor

Chicago Bulls
Best Offensive Play: Post Up W/Eddy Curry
Three-point Threat: Kirk Hinrich
Best Defense: Man To Man
Lockdown Defender: Ben Gordan
Inside Scoring: Antonio Davis

Cleveland Cavaliers
Best Offensive Play: Isolation W/LeBron James
Three-point Threat: Lucious Harris
Best Defense: Man to Man
Lockdown Defender: LeBron James
Inside Scoring: Zydrunas Ilgauskas

Dallas Mavricks
Best Offensive Play: Pick&Roll W/Dirk Nowitzki
Three-point Threat: Dirk Nowitzki
Best Defense: 2-3 Zone
Lockdown Defender: Michael Finley
Inside Scoring: Dirk Nowitzki

Denver Nuggets
Best Offensive Play: Pick&Roll W/Carmelo Anthony
Three-point Threat: Voshon Lenard
Best Defense: Man to Man
Lockdown Defender: Kenyon Martin
Inside Scoring: Kenyon Martin

Detroit Pistons
Best Offensive Play: Post Up W/Rasheed Wallace
Three-point Threat: Chauncey Billups
Best Defense: Man to Man
Lockdown Defender: Ben Wallace
Inside Scoring: Rasheed Wallace

G.S. Warriors
Best Offensive Play: Basket Cut W/Jason Richardson
Three-point Threat: Derek Fisher
Best Defense: Man to Man
Lockdown Defender: Jason Richardson
Inside Scoring: Troy Murphy

Houston Rockets
Best Offensive Play: Post Up W/Yao Ming
Three-point Threat: Tracy McGrady
Best Defense: 2-3 Zone
Lockdown Defender: Bob Sura
Inside Scoring: Yao Ming

Indiana Pacers
Best Offensive Play: Post Up W/Jermaine O'Neal
Three-point Threat: Reggie Miller
Best Defense: Man to Man
Lockdown Defender: Fred Jones
Inside Scoring: Jermaine O'Neal

L.A Clippers
Best Offensive Play: Isolation W/Corey Maggette
Three-point Threat: Kerry Kittles
Best Defense: Man to Man
Lockdown Defender: Kerry Kittles
Inside Scoring: Elton Brand

L.A Lakers
Best Offensive Play: Isolation W/Kobe Bryant
Three-point Threat: Kobe Bryant
Best Defense: Man to Man
Lockdown Defender: Kobe Bryant
Inside Scoring: Lamar Odom

Memphis Grizzlies
Best Offensive Play: Pick&Roll W/Pau Gasol
Three-point Threat: Mike Miller
Best Defense: 2-3 Zone
Lockdown Defender: Shane Battier
Inside Scoring: Pau Gasol

Miami
Best Offensive Play: Post Up W/Shaq
Three-Point Threat: Damon Jones
Best Defense: Man to man
Lockdown Defender: Dwayne Wade
Inside Scoring: Shaq

Milwaukee Bucks
Best Offensive Play: Pick&Roll W/Michael Redd
Three-Point Threat: Michael Redd
Best Defense: Man to Man
Lockdown Defender: Michael Redd
Inside Scoring: Keith Van Horn

Minnesota T'Wolves
Best Offensive Play: Isolation with KG
Three-Point Threat: Wally Szczerbiak
Best Defense: Man to man
Lockdown Defender: Latrell Sprewell

N.J Nets
Best Offensive Play: Isolation W/Vince Carter
Three-point Threat: Vince Carter
Best Defense: Man to Man
Lockdown Defender: Jason Kidd
Inside Scoring: Richard Jefferson

N.O Hornets
Best Offensive Play: Isolation W/Baron Davis
Three-point Threat: Baron Davis
Best Defense: Man to Man
Lockdown Defender: Baron Davis
Inside Scoring: Jamaal Magloire

N.Y Knicks
Best Offensive Play: Isolation W/Stephon Marbury
Three-point Threat: Allan Houston
Best Defense: Man to Man
Lockdown Defender: Kurt Thomas
Inside Scoring: Kurt Thomas

Orlando Magic
Best Offensive Play: Isolation W/Steve Francis
Three-point Threat: Pat Garrity
Best Defense: Man to Man
Lockdown Defender: Steve Francis
Inside Scoring: Dwight Howard

Philadelphia 76ers
Best Offensive Play: Isolation W/Allen Iverson
Three-point Threat: Kyle Korver
Best Defense: Man to Man
Lockdown Defender: Allen Iverson
Inside Scoring: Corliss Williamson

Phoenix Suns
Best Offensive Play: Pick&Roll W/Steve Nash
Three-point Threat: Steve Nash
Best Defense: Man to Man
Lockdown Defender: Shawn Marion
Inside Scoring: Amare Stoudemire

Portland Trail Blazers
Best Offensive Play: Post Up W/Zach Randolph
Three-point Threat: Derek Anderson
Best Defense: Man to Man
Lockdown Defender: Derek Anderson
Inside Scoring: Zach Randolph

Sacramento Kings
Best Offensive Play: Pick&Roll W/Chris Webber
Three-point Threat: Peja Stojakovic
Best Defense: Man to Man
Lockdown Defender: Bobby Jackson
Inside Scoring: Chris Webber

S.A Spurs
Best Offensive Play: Post Up W/Tim Duncan
Three-point Threat: Brent Barry
Best Defense: Man to Man
Lockdown Defender: Bruce Bowan
Inside Scoring: Tim Duncan

Seattle Supersonics
Best Offensive Play: Isolation W/Ray Allen
Three-point Threat: Ray Allen
Best Defense: Man to Man
Lockdown Defender: Rashard Lewis
Inside Scoring: Vitaly Potapenko

Toronto Raptors
Best Offensive Play: Post Up W/Chris Bosh
Three-Point Threat: Rafer Alston
Best Defense: 2-3 Zone
Lockdown Defender: Rafer Alston
Inside Scoring: Donyell Marshell

Utah Jazz
Best Offensive Play: Pick&Roll W/Andrei Kirilenko
Three-point Threat: Gordan Giricek
Best Defense: Man to Man
Lockdown Defender: Andrei Kirilenko
Inside Scoring: Carlos Boozer

Washington Wizards
Best Offensive Play: Isolation W/Gilbert Arenas
Three-point Threat: Anthony Peeler
Best Defense: Man to Man
Lockdown Defender: Larry Hughes
Inside Scoring: Kwame Brown

[Andrew]

Nice list, thanks weed manus. I'll delete the other individual threads so we can keep all discussion in this one.

[ilya]

i'd also say Stoudamire is a 3pt threat for the blazers. he's been very solid from downtown for me.

[Mark.]

So these are just guide lines for people?? or do we use these when editing the teams dbfs?

Good Work by the way, must have taken awhile.

[Ataraxia]

nice work man, but i play the game alot at my buddiez house and when I used the Rockets I found the best offensive moves were basket cut with Tracy Mcgrady or Isolation with T-Mac.

Yao did terribly on offense for me, dunno maybe its just the way I played with Yao.

But yeh good work on this list

[Donatello]

agreed.........t-mac is unstoppable, and yao is sometimes unSTARTable.

[weed manus]

Well guys it's not a bible but it is a starting point of having a clue as to what to do before the game even loads up!! Feel free to make up your own lists & send them along...

[cyanide]

Nice work. You got props from me .. I was looking at Detroit's, and it's so true

[Mark.]

Yeah it helps a lot.

Does anyone have a list of what Offensive strategies teams use, like what would be the Hawks teams strat?? 1-4 High?? Motion??

[javi]

What do you think?.
Some suggestion?.

MOTION OFFENSE:
Nets
Mavericks
Bulls
Kings
Hornets
Cavaliers
Lakers
76ers

FLEX:
Hawks
Nuggets
Spurs
Pacers
Heat
Bobcats

1-4 HIGH:
Pistons
Celtics
Bucks
Magic
Suns
Supersonics
Jazz

DOUBLE HIGH:
Rockets

SECONDARY BREAK:
Raptors
Trailblazers

BOX:
Warriors
NY Knicks
Wizards

STAGGER:
Timberwolves
Grizzlies
Clippers

[mike879]

agreed.........t-mac is unstoppable, and yao is sometimes unSTARTable.

Actually, Yao is quite efficient with me... specially with the addition of Tmac... I could go for a drive for Tmac and take a drop pass to Yao or even Howard/ Taylor. On defense, Yao is cool! maybe its just the way we use Yao.

[cyanide]

I think this thread should be stickied. It's really good reference material for anyone looking to start a new team up.

[JimRaynor55]

I posted this on the NBA Live 2004 board (I haven't bought 2005 yet). It's a list of the offensive/defensive plays used by NBA teams, which I have seen with my own eyes or are confirmed by the commentators and other knowledgable people. There are a couple discrepencies between it and the common list that has been in use for a while, posted in this thread by javi. Feel free to point out any mistakes I might have made, or add to the list if you also have first-hand knowledge or confirmed proof (cite sources). Also offer suggestions for in-game plays that closely resemble plays that weren't directly put into the game (for example the Slice play, or the Princeton offense). I will be continuously updating this list as I watch more games (if I'm able to figure out the plays or hear them being named) and do more research.

-The Utah Jazz use the UCLA offense, which is called "Utah" in the game. The suggested offense in that old thread that everyone went by was 1-4, which is partially true because Utah is a modified 1-4. If you want to keep in character while playing as the Jazz, share the ball and keep it moving. However, this might be difficult if not impossible given the limitations of the gameplay. On defense, they like to pack it in the middle and play zone (2-3 or Shifting 2-3?)

-The Cavaliers also use UCLA offense, but the ball movement isn't nearly as good.

-Contrary to what has been suggested in earlier posts in this new thread, the Heat still use Secondary Break, the offense originally suggested in the old thread. Shaq does score in the paint like he always did, but I noticed him starting several plays in the high post before shifting downward.

-The Lakers use Double High. However, there are a lot of times when they just stuck to simple Pick and Rolls with Kobe and one of their big men. Kobe and Odom get some Isolations. They also run a Slice play, but I don't think it's in the game.

-As I said before, the Princeton Offense offense used by the Nets and Kings is much closer to Sideline Triangle than the offense named "Motion" in the game. The Princeton is a motion offense, but the term motion has been applied to many different offenses, many of which don't look like the one in the game. That one is actually the Power offense. According to that site, the Power offense is in almost every team's playbook, but I really don't think most teams use it as their primary offense. I'll try doing some research and watching more games to see what kind of offenses are actually used by the teams which were said to use Motion in the old thread.

-The Timberwolves use Double High. On defense they switched between man-to-man and zone (looked like 2-3 or 3-2 at different times, the commentators called it a "matchup zone"). They also run some other plays that I haven't been able to figure out.

-The Grizzlies use Double High. Sometimes they simply call an Isolation for Gasol after feeding the ball to him in the post.

[JimRaynor55]

So these are just guide lines for people?? or do we use these when editing the teams dbfs?

Good Work by the way, must have taken awhile.

I think those are just tips for what is effective in the game, rather than suggestions for a realistic simulation. Because of differences between game mechanics and reality, running the actual plays used by teams isn't always the best way to win. We could all probably score a consistent 40+ ppg by dumping the ball into Shaq everytime, but that's not not how the Heat really play. The actual set plays should be used if you want to play within an actual structured offense, or to make CPU opponents play realistically.

[weed manus]

Thanks for the great info Jim...Anymore tips in your basket?!

[#12]

yo jim, try to find which offenses indiana(before and after suspensions), miami, and toronto use. Thanks in advance

[JimRaynor55]

yo jim, try to find which offenses indiana(before and after suspensions), miami, and toronto use. Thanks in advance

I'll keep trying to find their offenses, as well as those of other teams. I think I already have Miami's (same Secondary Break as the common list suggests), though I'm not 100% sure about that one.

Basically all I did was watch games and focus on figuring out the offenses and defenses that were being used, while keeping my ears open for any dead giveaways from the commentators. I've also tried searching the internet. However, good and up-to-date analysis on NBA plays is surprisingly hard to find, with the exception of a few famous ones (like the Triangle and Princeton offenses).

I believe that most people with a decent knowledge of basketball and an eye for the game can do what I did. In fact, I think that we can all benefit if a group of us here made a commitment to watching and analyzing a variety of teams to verify the plays they all use. Each person's analysis would then be subject to peer-review, so that his mistakes would not go on to be used by the majority of NBA Live players.

[JimRaynor55]

-I think I have Houston's. It's Double High like the common list suggests.

I also looked at Detroit and New York's, though I don't know what they're called or if there's anything like them in the game.

New York:
1. The SG (Jamal Crawford) takes the ball up a lot of the time. He sets up in the wing. For the sake of clarity, he's arbitrarily in the "left" wing. The other players are on the "left" if they're on the same side of the court as him, and on the "right" if they're on the opposite side.
2. Marbury and the Center are stacked in the low post on the left side. The PF stands at the top of the key, while the SF spots up in the right corner.
3. The Center sets a down pick for Marbury so that he can run from the low post up to the perimeter. Marbury runs past the PF and receives the ball from Crawford.
4. From here, Marbury has several options. a) He can run a Pick-and-Roll with the PF. b) He can move a bit to the right and play an Isolation. c) He can drive and dish to the spot-up shooter in the right corner. Marbury basically gets the freedom to run the whole show and ballhog. The other four Knicks stand around. There isn't a lot of motion in this offense.


Detroit:
1. The two Wallaces set up in the elbows, like the bigs would in 1-4 or Double High.
2. Tayshaun Prince and Rip Hamilton move without the ball, circling around the big men. The Pistons want to get the ball to Rip, so he's running a lot more than Tayshaun is. Rip will run tightly around the Wallaces, even cutting back and forth.
3. When Rip gets open, Billups gets him the ball for the quick jumpshot, or a quick drive and layup.

[weed manus]

Detroits offense sounds like a motion play

[Bill Russell]

JimRaynor55, please keep comin' up with these ideas, they are very valuable to those, like me & you, who try to keep the game as realistic as possible.

Thanks

[JimRaynor55]

Sorry I haven't posted anything in almost two weeks. I've been too busy studying for final exams to watch basketball games. Now that I'm pretty much done for the semester, I should have a lot more time to do things.

I taped the 76ers/Bulls and Blazers/Jazz games from last week, and got to watch them today. Here's what I found:

SIXERS:
Their primary offensive set starts off with the two big men at the elbows, the SG and SF at the wings, and Iverson up top with the ball in his hands. Iverson usually gives the ball to a big (sometimes a wing player), then runs in a circle around the bigs to the other side of the court. The SG will also run behind the bigs towards the opposite side. The SF and the big men stay put to act as screeners, and to look for the open shot. When Iverson or the SG get open, they receive the ball for the shot. I've looked at the play over and over, and I believe the closest thing to it in the game is 1-4 High. I don't think it looks like Secondary Break, which has been suggested before by other people.

When the 76ers aren't running that play, they're usually giving Iverson Isolations. He isolates at the top of the arc, while the other four players plant themselves down low. Most of the time, however, one of the big men goes up high to set a screen for AI.

PISTONS
Not anything new, but I figured the closest thing to their offense is 1-4 High. The difference between their offense and the 76ers' offense is that the Pistons try to get the ball to the SG (Hamilton), with their SF also moving for some shot attempts. The 76ers look to get the ball to their PG (Iverson), with the SG being the second mover. I suggest that you select specific plays within the 1-4 set that move the proper players when you use these two teams.

BULLS
They use the Power Offense, dubbed "Motion" in the game, almost every time.

BLAZERS
I studied them for an entire half (I'm not a fan of the Jazz or Blazers, and I already knew who had won the game), and I was surprised to see that they really didn't have a structured offense. Almost every time they had the ball, they chose to isolate their PG and one of their star forwards (Shareef and Randolph) on one side of the court, while the other three players stood around on the other side. In the game, this can be accomplished simply by calling "Post Up" while your PG is taking the ball up on the left or right side of the court. They looked to score in very simple ways. They just posted the forward up, or ran a Pick and Roll with that forward and the PG.

I saw a few Power offense plays from them, but 90% of the time they stuck to the simple iso post up I described above.

Tonight, I'll be studying the Nuggets, Sonics, and Suns, while taking a second look at the Heat.

[kibaxx7]

Make this a sticky... great information!!

[weed manus]

Make this a sticky... great information!!

Agreed!! Good Stuff!!

[Doors11]

How do you make changes to which players shoot the ball or changes to the offense for the teams.

I was looking at the plays.dbf and teams.dbf , maybe this explains why when you play against Clevland the PG's shoot all the time.James doesn't take that many shots.

All their plays seem to have the PG as the main guy.

I want to be able to make the changes as suggested in the thread, so how do you do this..

Thanks

[Steve [The Spiderman]]

Great stuff...