HELP- I get my butt kicked every time I play!

[moby323]

I mainly play with my friend online, we both got the game at the same time. But he kicks my ass every time we play.

On single player I am playing a season on "Starter" and I win every game, but when I play against him I get my ass kicked every time.

Please, give me basic tips for skills and techniques i should try to learn...

[Fitzy]

Pump fake

[moby323]

You mean to draw the foul? I try this alot with chris webber, but my opponent never bites.....

[BMG]

stop playing on starter
practice with superstar mode,the game is a faster pace
it will help you out in the long run

[paradizecityz]

^yea what he said
if u can win every game in starter, why didnt u try harder lvl and practice then?

[moby323]

I've started playing on all-star and I think my game has improved somewhat. i think a big key is being patient. you cant just force one strategy every time, and i think I'm getting better at "court vision" and spotting the open man.

But I'd also like specific tips on stuff like how you use isolation, or post up, etc.

I have been using Isolation with good shooting gaurds, I move to the far left or right to clear out, then bust a spin move or whatever. I usually blow past the 1st defender but by the time i get to the basket someone has moved to the paint. So then I try a short pull-up jumper, but alot of times that isnt effective. Short jumpers suck in this game, I mean even Pao gasol constantly misses like this 6 foot jumpers.

For basically the reason mentioned above, I am having real trouble using post-up. How do you use it?

[FendeR`]

For isolation, shake your defender and if a defender comes to help, that means someone else is open. It opens up possibilties. Also try using the pick-and-roll, I like it better than isolation.

[moby323]

Do you mainly use pick and roll to free up for three-pointers?

[Alcoholic]

I only do that if I desperately need the shot/there is no time left to shoot. I find it much better to just dish it to them when they are wide open.

[moby323]

So Alchoholic, you are saying you run the pick and roll then pass to the open man once the defense rotates?

[Madsnyb]

To play the pick and roll effectivly, you have to adjust to the way the defense is playing you. If the defender gets caughth in the screen, and the player who defended the screener doesn't switch and try to stop you, just shoot/drive to the basket. If he switches and stops or bumps you, pass to the player who set the pick. He will be rolling towards the basket, often wide open.

[moby323]

Thanks mad, that makes more sense. Basically I use it just like in real life.

How do you use the post up. I mean, when you callt he post-up, are you calling for your center to post up, or the player you are currently controling, or what?

[OldFoolStyle]

Calling for a post up considers a couple things, inside scoring, size diferential, strength, or sometimes just the closest big man. If you have an obvious dominant C or PF, like Shaq or Duncan, that will always be the guy to post up.

[moby323]

Thanks, but you didnt answer my question. When I call for the post up, am I telling my center to move to the post, or am I talking about the player I am currently controlling?

If it is the former, how can i chose which player will post up?

[FendeR`]

If you call for a post-up, either your power forward or your center will go to post up, NOT the player you are controlling. You can't really choose who posts up, but usually once you call the play they will both post up, and you just dribble to the side of the guy you want to pass to and pass it to him.

[moby323]

Fender, do you use post up much? Whats your strategy, do you use shoulder or pump fakes, or do you try to shoot as soon as the post player gets the pass?

[FendeR`]

I just back them down and press the dunk/layup button normally, or if I have a good shooter (like Dirk Nowitski for example) I'll backdown and then shoot a short jumper.

[moby323]

Is there a "back down" button? Or do you just dribble?

[FendeR`]

There is a backdown button. I play on gamecube, so backdown is the Y button, I don't know what it is for anything else.

[Madsnyb]

What you do after your post-guy gets the ball really depends on what kind of player he is. With Shaq, it's effective to just back down and dunk, but like Fender said, with Dirk Nowitzki i'd just shoot after a few bounces or no bounces at all, maybe even a fade-away too. IMO that's much of the fun in NBA Live: There are so many different players who all do different things effectivly. You really have to know your team to play well.

[moby323]

A few more questions on the specifics of your post up strategy. Using a player like Duncan, do you wait to get right next to the basket and try the hook? Or is it close enough to be right inside the paint?
Because I notice with it is somewhat difficult to get a dunk if you have a decent center gaurding you, even if you are right next to the basket.

Do you use any moves at all, as far as spin moves or anything, and how often do you pump fake?


Thanks

[Alcoholic]

If the ball is in the left hand (I think it's always the left hand, but it may just be the 'off' hand) when you are backing down, you can let go of the analog stick (still holding backdown though) and push the pro hop, and you guy will do a drop step. In real life a drop step gets you around the defender, but in Live regardless it gets you closer to the basket, at which point you can dunk or shoot an inside shot. Also, applying real life things here again, if you are playing a human opponent, and you always use drop steps/the like, you can perform the move as usual, then use a pump fake, because your opponent will think that your going to shoot like you always do, and you can get the foul.

[j.23]

i love the post ups in this game.. i utilize them anytime i can. usually i interchange the sg/pg positions.. ( so for example, kobe bryant is playing chucky atkins position and the latter is playing kobe's ) .. its a great way to draw double teams and fouls