By all means, get the game. They've reduced the price to $29.99 already and I'm sure if you bought other EA games in the past, they send you $15 off coupons for use at
www.eastore.ea.com. That makes it $15 + shipping which is about $22 total.
It's a very good game if you like bball at all. 2004 pissed me off so much but 2005 is a vast improvement for offensive minded players like me. Also, the three point contest and dunk contest are fantastic add-ons to this game. They've really made it feel like you're a part of All Star weekend, complete with the light show and environment and the commentary. The commentary is awesome from Kenny Smith and Ernie; it does get old after awhile but it's so appropriate. If you do a stinker dunk, they really ride you.
Bottom line is, get the game. If you're a hard core bball fan, you won't find any basketball game out there that's better. Get the PC version too. Forget PS2 and Xbox, the resolution and graphics just doesn't stack up.