OS: Teach Me How Thread

[jonmchugh26]

Re: OS: Teach Me How Thread

Hey guys, fellow sim player hear. i play with the Cavs in 2k they my favorite team in real life. I play on HOF sim and think i'm a pretty good offensive player but my defense can use some help. I was playing the Lakers last night with updated rosters and i won but gave up 115 points in the process. Deangelo Russel killed me. I"m not sure if it is my defensive settings that I use or not. I had Kobe contained all game. I think I used tight - tight - over - hard hedge and double in post. These are the settings i use on scores exepct I use double on drive for guys like Russel and louis wiliams. I finally made an adjusment and put bron on russel and left irving on kobe and had shumpert on williams, but i stil lgave up 116 points and got killed in the paint.

Also, I'm still working on a rotation that works. I leave bron in the entire first quarter. at the 4 or 5 minute mark I bring in williams, smith and thompson (who I can't score with at all}. then i take bron out at the start of the 2nd quarter for like the first 6 minutes or so and bring in iving and or love. I think this is okay but the CPU goes on runs especially when I have 2 of my big 3 out. Last night I was using a roration of Williams - Smith - Jefferson - TT and Varejo and the lakers went on a huge run.

Thanks for the help! Always trying to improve my game.

[LorenzoDC]

Re: OS: Teach Me How Thread

Hey guys, fellow sim player hear. i play with the Cavs in 2k they my favorite team in real life. I play on HOF sim and think i'm a pretty good offensive player but my defense can use some help. I was playing the Lakers last night with updated rosters and i won but gave up 115 points in the process. Deangelo Russel killed me. I"m not sure if it is my defensive settings that I use or not. I had Kobe contained all game. I think I used tight - tight - over - hard hedge and double in post. These are the settings i use on scores exepct I use double on drive for guys like Russel and louis wiliams. I finally made an adjusment and put bron on russel and left irving on kobe and had shumpert on williams, but i stil lgave up 116 points and got killed in the paint.

Also, I'm still working on a rotation that works. I leave bron in the entire first quarter. at the 4 or 5 minute mark I bring in williams, smith and thompson (who I can't score with at all}. then i take bron out at the start of the 2nd quarter for like the first 6 minutes or so and bring in iving and or love. I think this is okay but the CPU goes on runs especially when I have 2 of my big 3 out. Last night I was using a roration of Williams - Smith - Jefferson - TT and Varejo and the lakers went on a huge run.

Thanks for the help! Always trying to improve my game.

I'll be interested to see what others may answer.

Those double up defensive settings, do they stay in place all game? Do you watch to see who is scoring on you and why? In my experience, I am seldom able to keep those kind of tight double up schemes on scorers intact for a whole game, because the CPU adjusts and uses my aggression against me. My defense gets broken down, secondary and third level threats get hot, especially in close and for layups.

With a scores as high as you game, possessions are probably short so I bet you're getting hit quick on breaks and for layups and such. In my experience, the CPU builds up more momentum form scoring like that than from jumpers, so when that takes hold, it's hard to contain. It helps feed the CPU offense even when their main scorers sit, and your backup rotation is in place.

Without seeing your game play, I would guess you are holding on tight and playing effective offense while playing a fast paced offense, but that maybe it might serve you better to make some defensive adjustments during the game and vary your own offensive pace. If you are containing your main threat well, and someone else is getting hot, think about adjusting defensive settings to help your defense play in a string. Think also about mixing in short stints of zone if you are getting beat inside a lot - it can help you clog some passing lanes before the CPU adjusts and get a couple of steals.

Not sure what to say about your Cavs backups rotation - I mean, that's the weakness of that squad anyway. I did suspect my momentum and pace adjustment could help in those periods. When I'm low on scorers in my rotation, I generally try to slow the pace to buy time and either rely on passing to get some open looks with a triangle or swing motion freelance running as background, or, depending on how I'm being defended, run some high PnR out of a pace or 4-1 freelance.

I guess the overall keys here are analyzing what's working, recognizing the CPU's adjustments, and then adjusting to the CPU's adjustments quickly - maybe even anticipating them as you get used to the CPU's patterns.

[jonmchugh26]

Re: OS: Teach Me How Thread

I'll be interested to see what others may answer.

Those double up defensive settings, do they stay in place all game? Do you watch to see who is scoring on you and why? In my experience, I am seldom able to keep thouse kind of tight double up schemes on scorers intact for a whole game, because the CPU adjusts and uses my aggression against me. My defense gets broken down, secondary and third level threats get hot, especially in close and for layups.

With a scores as high as you game, possessions are probably short so I bet you're getting hit quick on breaks and for layups and such. In my experience, the CPU builds up more momentum form scoring like that than from jumpers, so when that takes hold, it's hard to contain. It helps feed the CPU offense even when their main scorers sit, and your backup rotation is in place.

Without seeing your game play, I would guess you are holding on tight and playing effective offense while playing a fast paced offense, but that maybe it might serve you better to make some defensive adjustments during the game and vary your own offensive pace. If you are containing your main threat well, and someone else is getting hot, think about adjusting defensive settings to help your defense play in a string. Think also about mixing in short stints of zone if you are getting beat inside a lot - it can help you clog some passing lanes before the CPU adjusts and get a couple of steals.

Not sure what to say about your Cavs backups rotation - I mean, that's the weakness of that squad anyway. I did suspect my momentum and pace adjustment could help in those periods. When I'm low on scorers in my rotation, I generally try to slow the pace to buy time and either rely on passing to get some open looks with a triangle or swing motion freelance running as background, or, depending on how I'm being defended, run some high PnR out of a pace or 4-1 freelance.

I guess the overall keys here are analyzing what's working, recognizing the CPU's adjustments, and then adjusting to the CPU's adjustments quickly - maybe even anticipating them as you get used to the CPU's patterns.

Thanks for the info. With my settings on double. I took that of in game because I was getting killed on kick outs. I've been reading that using tight on everybody for on ball is bad because it leaves the paint wide open. I think on the next couple of games I play I will use moderate on guys who aren't really a threat. Is gap for of ball the best to use for non shooters and non shooting big men? Thanks.

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[LorenzoDC]

Re: OS: Teach Me How Thread

Thanks for the info. With my settings on double. I took that of in game because I was getting killed on kick outs. I've been reading that using tight on everybody for on ball is bad because it leaves the paint wide open. I think on the next couple of games I play I will use moderate on guys who aren't really a threat. Is gap for of ball the best to use for non shooters and non shooting big men? Thanks.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

Try downshifting to auto first. When I use moderate or gap on or off ball, that tends to leave guys WIDE open for those kickouts. Auto seems to make enough minor adjustments to leave some room, provide help but then tighten up if a guy gets on a roll.

I use the moderate and gap settings sparingly and only for short periods when I need the extra help to contain a hot threat or if some guy out there is a total scrub. And even then, in this game, scrubs can get hot if you just leave them alone, scoring 8-10 points in a couple of minutes. This is especially true I think since patch 4 gave open shots an effective bonus.

I think some really good players use moderate and gap more than I do, but I'm not sure how long they stick with it before they adjust. I'm just speaking for myself here, and it's all coming from a defensive philosophy based on Sam Pham's NAPP system that protects the paint and builds out from there with defensive settings. If you do more guarding the perimeter POE as a base, then some gap and moderate use makes more sense.

Let me know how it goes.

[jonmchugh26]

Re: OS: Teach Me How Thread

Try downshifting to auto first. When I use moderate or gap on or off ball, that tends to leave guys WIDE open for those kickouts. Auto seems to make enough minor adjustments to leave some room, provide help but then tighten up if a guy gets on a roll.

I use the moderate and gap settings sparingly and only for short periods when I need the extra help to contain a hot threat or if some guy out there is a total scrub. And even then, in this game, scrubs can get hot if you just leave them alone, scoring 8-10 points in a couple of minutes. This is especially true I think since patch 4 gave open shots an effective bonus.

I think some really good players use moderate and gap more than I do, but I'm not sure how long they stick with it before they adjust. I'm just speaking for myself here, and it's all coming from a defensive philosophy based on Sam Pham's NAPP system that protects the paint and builds out from there with defensive settings. If you do more guarding the perimeter POE as a base, then some gap and moderate use makes more sense.

Let me know how it goes.

Thanks a lot. Could you post a link of that video

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[LorenzoDC]

Re: OS: Teach Me How Thread

Thanks a lot. Could you post a link of that video

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Here's the basics. Check out some of his related videos if you want some more.

<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qrxUNXXiIGo?list=PLnsfcAuRXVBdopBLYzHWny2WMEGcxyvG 4" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560"></iframe>

[loadedlux]

Re: OS: Teach Me How Thread

So after hearing the new details of the myleague/mygm changes in 2k16 i recently decided to reinstall 2k15 back on my ps4. I always wanted to do good on HoF but it has always been frustrating. I haven't been awhile to beat the cpu consistently on that difficulty since 2k11. So I decided to try sam phams NAPP defense and here is the result

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-NPKuB_hx0

(sry forgot to show in video the difficultly, first time ever making one)

I was able the beat OKC 108-92 using the Kings. It took a while for me to start feeling comfortable but you can see my defense starting the gel after halftime. The 3rd quarter was lovely.



Hopefully this is not an anomaly and I now have a base defense i can use and make adjustments to as the game goes on.

Also jerseyreign if you see this. I tried that ice concept first for about 6 games before switchin to sam phams napp. I couldn't get it to work properly and the cpu was constantly blowing me out scoring like 30pts a quarter. If you could show off a video of you demonstrating it that would be helpful. Being for Boston i seen coach thibs apply that with the Celtics so it would be sick if i could replicate in 2k.

[loadedlux]

Re: OS: Teach Me How Thread

Played another game today sadly I lost.



Idk what happen but my defense was horribly all of second half, and i gave up a 13 point lead. Wasted a monster game for rudy gay 42 pts, also rondo with 20 asts. Derrick favors killed me, not sure how to stop cpu pf/c.

[JerzeyReign]

Re: OS: Teach Me How Thread

Also jerseyreign if you see this. I tried that ice concept first for about 6 games before switchin to sam phams napp. I couldn't get it to work properly and the cpu was constantly blowing me out scoring like 30pts a quarter. If you could show off a video of you demonstrating it that would be helpful. Being for Boston i seen coach thibs apply that with the Celtics so it would be sick if i could replicate in 2k.

I don't have NBA 2k15 anymore and someone reported my channel a few months back so a bunch of my tutorials were taken down. I'm currently on a 15 minute video limit and it kills my wave to make more until its lifted.

The only video I still have up is an older one from 2k13. For the upcoming basketball titles I plan on going through a bunch of realistic schemes on offense and defense.

[MarkWilliam]

Re: OS: Teach Me How Thread

I don't have NBA 2k15 anymore and someone reported my channel a few months back so a bunch of my tutorials were taken down. I'm currently on a 15 minute video limit and it kills my wave to make more until its lifted.

The only video I still have up is an older one from 2k13. For the upcoming basketball titles I plan on going through a bunch of realistic schemes on offense and defense.

Duuuuude...... someone reported your channel!? That's W@NK!!......

[jonmchugh26]

Re: OS: Teach Me How Thread

I was playing the Wariors last night in my Cavs MyLeague. I tried using Sampham's NAPP system against them. It worked okay in the first half. I held them to 25 in the 1st and 27 in the 2nd quarter but in the second half they took off. my offense died and I couldn't do anything againsti them. I ended up losing by 20 or so. I think i did a good job of containing Curry. My settings for him were tight - tight - baseline - over - hard hedge - behind. On Klay I started out just tight and auto he got hot and I put it on tight - tight and that seemed to shut him down. I played moderate and gap on iggy so Lebron could sag off and help. but in the end, I gave up 70 pips. I think they ended up scoring 120 or so overall. It doesn't help that I coulnd't shouot a 3 to save my life. I think I went 11-30 or something like that.

I play the Grizzlies next, Any tips on how to contain Gasol and Randolph and what settings to use on them? I don't really know what settings to use on the bigs.

[LorenzoDC]

Re: OS: Teach Me How Thread

I was playing the Wariors last night in my Cavs MyLeague. I tried using Sampham's NAPP system against them. It worked okay in the first half. I held them to 25 in the 1st and 27 in the 2nd quarter but in the second half they took off. my offense died and I couldn't do anything againsti them. I ended up losing by 20 or so. I think i did a good job of containing Curry. My settings for him were tight - tight - baseline - over - hard hedge - behind. On Klay I started out just tight and auto he got hot and I put it on tight - tight and that seemed to shut him down. I played moderate and gap on iggy so Lebron could sag off and help. but in the end, I gave up 70 pips. I think they ended up scoring 120 or so overall. It doesn't help that I coulnd't shouot a 3 to save my life. I think I went 11-30 or something like that.

I play the Grizzlies next, Any tips on how to contain Gasol and Randolph and what settings to use on them? I don't really know what settings to use on the bigs.

I can only tell you what I do facing a big heavy team with limited perimeter threats, using my own version of NAPP:

1. Pick your best interior defender and match him up with the best interior scorer you face. Reassign him as the game flows if other guys get hot inside.
2. Take the risk of playing the biggest interior threat tight off ball to limit rebounds and putbacks. Upgrade to deny as needed but watch for the CPU adjustment to back door you and adjust back fast.
3. I send everyone baseline, so with that I like to play inside threats 3/4 Behind in the post.
4. Play on ball interior defense if you feel comfortable doing it, but on occasion if you want you can try assigning the CPU to play tight or smother on ball to interior threats and switch off to protect against the penetrating dump off inside.
5. If a big just starts taking over and killing you double in the post on dribble or even on catch. Watch for the CPU adjusting back to that after a few possessions and undo the doubles pretty quick.
6. The Cavs are not the best open floor team, but try to dictate pace by opening things up in spurts to run up some fatigue on those bigs if you can. 2k15 really rewards you for changing up your attack, even if it means sometimes doing what would be unexpected for your personnel. I'm not saying the game makes players not be themselves, but the CPU AI can get "comfortable" with what you are doing and you need to take that away.
7. Even though NAPP says play neutral defensive aggression, there are times to bump it up to physical to change things up and not let the CPU get comfortable. You have to watch for foul trouble though.
8. Mix in some 2-3 zone to clog passing lanes maybe once or twice in the game for 2-4 minutes stretches, especially in the second half when the CPU adjusts to what you've been doing all game. It often pops up a steal or two for you and a fast break.

In you Warriors game, like you said, sometimes your shots just don't fall, but it can be dangerous to get too attached to 3's in this game without establishing some half court and play running success to create good shots. I actually find I get almost all my 3's in transition or as kick outs on PnR once I establish good interior consistency and creation of open looks - but that may just be a by product of my MyLeague team, many seasons ahead so that the players are all from draft classes I created. Your mileage may vary.

[jonmchugh26]

Re: OS: Teach Me How Thread

I can only tell you what I do facing a big heavy team with limited perimeter threats, using my own version of NAPP:

1. Pick your best interior defender and match him up with the best interior scorer you face. Reassign him as the game flows if other guys get hot inside.
2. Take the risk of playing the biggest interior threat tight off ball to limit rebounds and putbacks. Upgrade to deny as needed but watch for the CPU adjustment to back door you and adjust back fast.
3. I send everyone baseline, so with that I like to play inside threats 3/4 Behind in the post.
4. Play on ball interior defense if you feel comfortable doing it, but on occasion if you want you can try assigning the CPU to play tight or smother on ball to interior threats and switch off to protect against the penetrating dump off inside.
5. If a big just starts taking over and killing you double in the post on dribble or even on catch. Watch for the CPU adjusting back to that after a few possessions and undo the doubles pretty quick.
6. The Cavs are not the best open floor team, but try to dictate pace by opening things up in spurts to run up some fatigue on those bigs if you can. 2k15 really rewards you for changing up your attack, even if it means sometimes doing what would be unexpected for your personnel. I'm not saying the game makes players not be themselves, but the CPU AI can get "comfortable" with what you are doing and you need to take that away.
7. Even though NAPP says play neutral defensive aggression, there are times to bump it up to physical to change things up and not let the CPU get comfortable. You have to watch for foul trouble though.
8. Mix in some 2-3 zone to clog passing lanes maybe once or twice in the game for 2-4 minutes stretches, especially in the second half when the CPU adjusts to what you've been doing all game. It often pops up a steal or two for you and a fast break.

In you Warriors game, like you said, sometimes your shots just don't fall, but it can be dangerous to get too attached to 3's in this game without establishing some half court and play running success to create good shots. I actually find I get almost all my 3's in transition or as kick outs on PnR once I establish good interior consistency and creation of open looks - but that may just be a by product of my MyLeague team, many seasons ahead so that the players are all from draft classes I created. Your mileage may vary.

Thanks a lot, I appreciate the feedback. I will use those tips when i play tonight. Yeah my last game against the Warriors I couldn't do squat offensivly. You just have those games sometimes.

what freelance option would work best for me to use? last night I used 4 out 1 in and motion cuts when I had love on the floor. I think that when I take him out I should go to a 3-2 space the floor or motion cuts since he's my only stretch 4 I hav unless I play bron at the 4. I generally use 4 out 1 in and space the floor but I liked motion cuts last night I just coulnd't hit shots.

[LorenzoDC]

Re: OS: Teach Me How Thread

Thanks a lot, I appreciate the feedback. I will use those tips when i play tonight. Yeah my last game against the Warriors I couldn't do squat offensivly. You just have those games sometimes.

what freelance option would work best for me to use? last night I used 4 out 1 in and motion cuts when I had love on the floor. I think that when I take him out I should go to a 3-2 space the floor or motion cuts since he's my only stretch 4 I hav unless I play bron at the 4. I generally use 4 out 1 in and space the floor but I liked motion cuts last night I just coulnd't hit shots.

You're on the right track I think, since Cavs really are a different team with and without Love on the floor. As for freelance to run in general, there are three factors to work with at once:

1. your personnel
2. your playbook and how you use it
3. your ability to change it up, because the CPU AI will "get comfortable"

To me, to suggest what you should use when you change it up, it really depends partly on what kind of plays you have in your playbook, because ideally you have plays that work with your plan B freelance style, so if a play breaks down, guys are still in good positions and you don't lose seconds.


Also, I've adjusted as I've gotten to know some freelance styles I didn't know well and learned how to incorporate them. That said, the process of learning some of them takes some getting used to (me raging at my TV: "WHY DID YOU CUT THERE I WANTED YOU ON PERIMETER!"). So you have to use what's comfortable for you.


Speaking for myself, I don't really have success playing space the floor in any set for a whole game. The CPU will adjust to my PnR stuff and when things break down guys are too static and I stop getting good looks. So I like to go to some freelance options with motion cuts or sometimes freelance with a play through a player option in POE. Plus, once the CPU clogs you down a bit, this set can lead to fewer touches for your players and that limits your ability to build up momentum. Motion addresses this.


3-2 motion cuts is good for getting some jumpers and 3's off down screens before the CPU adjusts to that. It's also can be good for creating entry passing lanes, but we all know how the CPU can cheese that on you so watch for that.

I play Knicks so I've done a lot with triangle, and it can be very effective on motion cuts if you learn the basic branches and options. Once the CPU adjusts it can become a cloggy bumper car mess inside, but it can be effective. It's a good change up from 4-1 because it helps you get those post looks, and the handoff to the corner from the pinch post can be sweet for mid range and 3's.

Swing motion, motion cuts is maybe my favorite, though, because it almost always has branches you can explore, and whenever you think you're bogged down, there always seems to be a nice bail out (or even manual) PnR play just sitting there to at least give one of your playmakers a chance to create something.

It also gives you more kick out 3 options than triangle while you're changing up to work inside. In that way, it's still a good change up to 4-1, pace or 3-2 space the floor, but doesn't completely sell out to the paint while giving your offense some flow and movement.

With all that, figure out what you want to try, but I do recommend changing up your freelance at least 2-3 times per game and changing things up. Sometimes I can see right away that the change up I thought would help isn't helping, so then I go to something else again.

[nip83]

Re: OS: Teach Me How Thread

To add to what lorenzo wrote:

The Cavs have a very suitable personnel for the triangle.

-Dominant wing scorer who has post up ability and is a point forward-check
(Imagine Lebron in pinch post or cutting off love post ups).

-Inside/outside threat bigman with passing ability-check.
(Again K Love on the pinch post and in those spots where the big flashes to the wing is deadly-weak side pick n fade with Kyrie included)

-Secondary scorer who can create and shoot from anywhere on the floor-check.
(With Lebron at 4 and Kyrie at PG there is no more dominant 2-man game in the pinch post except Westbrook-Durant perhaps)

However running the triangle is a full time job.It requires dedication and a lot of your free time to study all of the options and how to better use them.As Lorenzo said ,if you are less than 100% concentrated in reading and reacting, the triangle is a hot mess that cramps spacing(irl too).


If you want my humble opinion i would mix/replace the triangle with pace (space the floor) because at some points in the game(especially in the 4th quarter) you want spaced isos and pick n roll/pop and the cavs have also the personnel for that.

I would go pace freelance instead of 4out 1 in, because the 4 out 1 in ,is better suited to a team with a good inside bigman in the post and the cavs don't have that type of center.

Another drawback of 4 out 1 in ,is that in motion cuts setting, the motion generated off ball is very limited.

Pace spaces the floor to extremes and even if you can't find a way to penetrate ,you can run freelance plays(LB after you cross half court) that are simple and effective.You can also sprinkle some of the "pace" setplays in your playbook(Pace quick 24 high,pace swing 25 punch),especially the low/high post looks for lebron,they are really effective in giving you room to work.

One other favorite play that i would use for Lebron or Love is 1-4 Rip 4 Punch.It is basically a UCLA cut for Kyrie(or any other guard) ,that Kyrie then fakes the backdoor cut and screens for Lebron or Love to get into great low post position.I usually generate a ton of mismatches out of this play(when the defense switches the screen) and with pace as my base freelance i can draw double teams and kick out.