What might've been.. a Convergence! NBA2K11 [COACH MODE]

[tomriddle]

Convergence (con·ver·gence): The process of coming together or the state of having come together toward a common point..

First off let me say this.. I have never played an NBA2K game before. I was a huge college hoops fan though and the reason no NBA game has appealed to me before is being a real life Knicks fan.. I feel that the greatest injustice in sports is that my Knicks have been irrelevant for so long now that I've forgotten when they mattered.

With NBA2K11.. the old familiarity of college hoops is back.. I'd go so far to say as NBA2K's engine and foundations are based off of college hoops and it's amazing for coach mode players.. the very first dynasty I've ever done was a coach mode franchise on the 2k sports forums
A Coach's Legacy - College Hoops - Coach Mode

now.. why does NBA2K11 appeal to me? Simply this.. it's a convergence.. ever imagined a league comprised of some of the best teams of the past.. contending against the powerhouses of today.. and seeing how the future will do?

NOW WE CAN

...the classic teams are there and I salivate at the thought of seeing the now Heat with Wade, Lebron and them going up against Magic's Lakers! How about Kobe's Lakers going up against MJ's Bulls?! *EXACTLY*

I played a test game last night pitting the current Heat against an old-time Bulls team and the matchups and scenarios just made my jaw drop

Michael Jordan checking Dwayne Wade!
Scottie Pippen against Lebron James!

not intrigued yet?

how about Larry Bird's Celtics vs Magic's Lakers?!
Dominique "The human highlight film" Wilkins' Hawks vs Clyde "The Glyde" Drexler's blazers?!

and it doesn't end there.. it's in NBA2K11.. the deadliest assassin of them all? Larry Bird is here! Magic? SHOWTIME! Bad Boys?! Pistons are in too.. THE RAIN MAN Shawn Kemp is even here! 2Ksports did it right.. so many classic teams.. all in there.. and of course, my beloved NEW YORK KNICKS led by PAT-RICK EWING!

unlike all of you people.. I never wanted to be like mike or play as mike or whatever.. NEW YORK wanted to destroy mike and beat him.. the Knicks-Bulls rivalry was fierce and brings back a ton of golden memories for me personally.

The past meets the present meets the future. A convergence.. this is what this dynasty is about.

[tomriddle]

Convergence Association Settings:
- Version: PS3
- Difficulty: Pro
- Coach Mode: ON
- Sliders: Simulation-Customized
- Game Speed: 59
- Quarters: 9 Minute Quarters
- Season Length: 29 games (doesn't matter if it's 82 or 29, games are games and the Power Rankings are there so you'll know if you're ranked 15th, you're ranked 15th regardless of season length)
- Salary Cap: On
- Team Chemistry: On
- Team Trading: OFF (why mess the teams up, you have DRAFT and FA)

[tomriddle]

this is where this Association differs from other franchises.. I will be using the classic teams in the modern nba landscape..

INTRODUCING.. THE CLASSIC TEAMS

85-86 Boston Celtics

Can Larry Bird and co. take on the current nba landscape? We shall see..

89-90 Atlanta Hawks

The Human Highlight Film returns to the nba to show the youngbloods how it's done!

90-91 Los Angeles Lakers

Magic. Showtime. ... need I say anything more?

91-92 Portland Trailblazers

star player: Clyde "The Glyde" Drexler

94-95 NEW YORK KNICKS (my team)

you people may not know them.. and they may not have the stars other teams do.. but what my team lacks in sheer talent, we double-up on in grit, determination, and fierceness! Led by PAT-RICK EWING and Charles "the oak" Oakley with volatile shooting guard JOHN. STARKS. .. I can't wait to take control of this team and build them up and see how they do

95-96 Seattle SuperSonics

The Glove. RAIN MAN. What you know bout em? Youngblood's gonna find out

96-97 Chicago Bulls

Jordan. Pippen. Rodman. Kukoc. This team is stacked.. I wanted to use the Bulls with Pax and Horace Grant and Cartwright and them but I only wanted to use 1 version of a team.. that way I won't have 4 Michael Jordans in the league and I decided to go with this version of Jordan's Bulls

96-97 Utah Jazz

Karl Malone. John Stockton. Hornacek.. Utah Jazz may be "boring" but all they did was win!

Those are the classic teams from the past which will be taking part in this Franchise ladies and gentlemen! Imagine a league with these teams .. with these players .. going up against Kobe, Lebron, Wade, and the future youngbloods..

oh it's on!

[tomriddle]

Just so you won't think that the "classic" teams won't have any competition..

THE PRESENT NBA TEAMS

The Reigning, Defending, NBA Champions


The Big Three of Miami


The Upstarts in Denver



YOUNGBLOODS



.....imagine the matchups, the games!

Kobe vs Michael Jordan
Lebron's Heat vs Magic's Lakers
Michael Jordan checking Dwayne Wade!
"The Human Highlight Film" vs "The Rain Man"
...oh I haven't even mentioned Shaq and the Celtics nor Rose and the Bulls!

so many games, so many insane matchups, one championship title

can one league contain them all?!

we shall see..

[tomriddle]

still feeling my way around trying to get a feel on how to present the association


- Clyde Drexler took over in the 4th and I couldn't stop him, 0-1 to start the season off. Knicks 0-1


Patrick Ewing wouldn't let us go to an 0-2 hole, we took it to the young Kings early and kept them down for our first win of the season. Knicks 1-1


Kevin Durant is an amazing young player. We jumped on them early and instead of folding, they rode Durant's hot hand in the 2nd half and they had the ball with 3 seconds left in the game.. fortunately, he missed . Knicks 2-1


The Wizards are a very surprising team.. we had the lead for most of the game but they made such a run in the 4th led by the rookie PG John Wall and Gilbert Arenas caught fire forcing the game into OT. Fortunately, my veterans stepped up and Patrick Ewing led us to victory in OT.

Power Rankings at the end of November 2010

[tomriddle]

Patrick Ewing was in deep foul trouble from the getgo which led to Anthony Mason checking Carmelo Anthony.. he tried.. but the Nuggets were too good once my Knicks got in foul trouble. It won't get any easier.. I got the Miami Three up next!

help

[tomriddle]

90s Knicks vs the Miami 3.. we hung in there for a while but they just had too much firepower in the 4th.. gotta change up strategy next time and increase the defensive pressure or somethin



there was one highlight though.. "Crazy" John Starks introduces himself to the Miami 3


GAME REEL

[tomriddle]

OH MY GOD Yao is a freak of nature.. lol he dwarfed Patrick Ewing! This was a pretty good game.. we were down 75-76 with 1:30 left.. and I can't stress this enough.. it just FEELS like the real game.. both teams went up and down, stops were made, baskets were made..

the key point was a coaching decision.. or rather, one I did not make which ended up costing us the game.

Rockets up by 1 and were taking the ball mid-court and got stripped of the Ball.. Ewing got it and proceeded to lead a break -- I SHOULD'VE CALLED A TIMEOUT! Gather my team and get a set play to take the lead and win the game but I didn't.. I froze.. Ewing led the break.. lost control of the ball.. that was the game.



"Crazy" John Starks running thunder slam