50 Ways to Beat the CPU or Become a Better 2K Player Overall, by Sovartus

[Fly3]

Re: 50 Ways to Beat the CPU or Become a Better 2K Player Overall, by Sovartus

I know what you are saying bro, I used to have that problem too but not anymore ever since I set the height on the camera angle to its highest and also have zoom set out to as far as possible.

Even with max height and minimum zoom, there are still blind spots.

[Sovartus]

Re: 50 Ways to Beat the CPU or Become a Better 2K Player Overall, by Sovartus

Even with max height and minimum zoom, there are still blind spots.

There are pros and cons to every camera angle. I play 2k as well but been playing with other views for a few days to see if it helps my game. Seems like you gain something and lose something every time.

[SwaggerCoach]

Re: 50 Ways to Beat the CPU or Become a Better 2K Player Overall, by Sovartus

Something that took me a while to realize was how to force the CPU to take a tough contact shot in the paint. A month ago I was playing around trying to defend the paint from the dive bombers every player becomes at the end of the shot clock I realized something.

One of the big keys to forcing contact on Defense is the Left stick. The best way to see this in action put the game on default sliders. The while defending in the paint play defense when you see a player barreling in the paint for a layup, purposefully move your player into the offensive player.

This will force the offensive player into a contact shot, this saved me from a lot of frustration because I was finally forcing the CPU into tough shots in the paint. Same thing on the perimeter forcing players to lose the ball or pick up there dribble is all done with the left stick.

Hope this ain't old news for yall if it is hey its another reminder haha!

You are 100% DEAD ON with this...I've completely changed up the way I play defense and using left stick is HUGE. I've found that rarely ever using turbo, using L2/LT when the CPU is doing iso moves, then letting go of L2/LT altogether and just trying to bump him with the left stick when it tries to drive to the hoop is the best option.

[Sovartus]

Re: 50 Ways to Beat the CPU or Become a Better 2K Player Overall, by Sovartus

You are 100% DEAD ON with this...I've completely changed up the way I play defense and using left stick is HUGE. I've found that rarely ever using turbo, using L2/LT when the CPU is doing iso moves, then letting go of L2/LT altogether and just trying to bump him with the left stick when it tries to drive to the hoop is the best option.

So are you saying that you are basically running into the ball handler instead of beating him to where he is going? I would imagine the CPU would keep moving until it got that small seem to move past your imperfect stick movement.

[SwaggerCoach]

Re: 50 Ways to Beat the CPU or Become a Better 2K Player Overall, by Sovartus

So are you saying that you are basically running into the ball handler instead of beating him to where he is going? I would imagine the CPU would keep moving until it got that small seem to move past your imperfect stick movement.

I use both - I try to beat the CPU to where it's going when I can, but I also like to bump them along the way - it's what the CPU does to us when we drive - so we might as well return the favor. I especially go for the bump when they're shooting - throws the CPU shot off considerably.

When it's difficult to play solid paint defense at all, I look for every edge I can get down there.

[lazzarone]

Re: 50 Ways to Beat the CPU or Become a Better 2K Player Overall, by Sovartus

My Biggest issue right now is Defense...(I am in need of major help).

> I know the CPU is going to score from the outside I am willing to give up those points in moderation.

> Inside the Paint is where my major area of focus is .(Half the CPU points come from inside the paint, and offense rebounds by the CPU off missed shots are killing me)

Any Defense advice to help stop the inside the paint points?

[Sovartus]

Re: 50 Ways to Beat the CPU or Become a Better 2K Player Overall, by Sovartus

I use both - I try to beat the CPU to where it's going when I can, but I also like to bump them along the way - it's what the CPU does to us when we drive - so we might as well return the favor. I especially go for the bump when they're shooting - throws the CPU shot off considerably.

When it's difficult to play solid paint defense at all, I look for every edge I can get down there.

I guess I'll have to give that some focus and see what it does. I haven't ever deliberately used that as a tactic. I'll let you know what I come up with.

[Jano]

Re: 50 Ways to Beat the CPU or Become a Better 2K Player Overall, by Sovartus

I guess I'll have to give that some focus and see what it does. I haven't ever deliberately used that as a tactic. I'll let you know what I come up with.

Beating the offensive player to the spot is the first part of the battle. That's the part of defense I'm sure everyone on this forum understands.

But where 2K changed things is now in order to force contact you must actually MAKE contact with the other player. There's no magnetic pull anymore so sometimes letting the offense get a step or two is fine.

But once that player goes into his shot animation run that defensive player into him lol! It's going to be hard at first because you have to get used to moving your defender the whole time.

And it adds in another layer to defense because now you have to be able to stay in rhythm with a player who's going up for a layup. Only thing I would suggest is to work on feathering the stick in the paint because you can easily push too hard and completely take yourself out of the play.

Once I figured this out in reminded me of what my coach used to say "Defense doesn't stop until you've secured that board or the ball goes in the hoop."

Also don't assume that just because the player has launched in the air for his layup that you can't make contact. Keep your defender moving and maneuver your body into him a lot of times you'll draw the contact. I've been able to stop a few fast breaks because I didn't give up on the play.

Last thing, be warned that when the shooting foul slider is up high this method is gonna to cause a LOT of fouls on your players. I haven't figured out how to force the contact W/O fouling but I guess neither has anyone in real life either...

[theenemy]

Re: 50 Ways to Beat the CPU or Become a Better 2K Player Overall, by Sovartus

great post man.

about the escape pull ups:
a while ago, I went to the training mode, turned the hot zones on and shot from a neutral zone. Normal jump shot. the rating was A. I shot from the same spot using an escape pull up jumper (making sure that the animation ends at the same spot as before) - the rating is A+. So basically it is a "must". I find it lame, the rating (IMO) should only be based on the "hot zones" and the space that the shooter has not on initiating a special animation to create that space. Maybe that was a tendency/rating thing of the player that I was shooting with (i cant remember who) but I still don't like the logic there.

LS defense definitely works - I use it when I want to foul or force a really hard layup on the fastbreaks - as they go for a layup I basically walk under the offensive player causing him to fall over my shoulder (as he tries to shoot at the same time). It is also effective when you bring the help d yourself to double a post player. I don't use it around the perimeter - too risky. 1 slight mistake on the LS, and the CPU is gone - L2+LS in combination with RS is more effective and less risky (small taps of turbo to catch up if the guy is 1-1.5 steps ahead - yes, 1.5 if more - collapse back between the player and the basket, it's too late)
I realized I'm repeating things already mentioned by others.

on Pro/Sim I find that I have to use most of the listed tips (unfortunately none of the manual defensive settings / subs etc - that's too much detail for me, but I agree that nothing should be left at the AI's mercy) to have balanced/fair/sim game against the CPU.

[debiler]

Re: 50 Ways to Beat the CPU or Become a Better 2K Player Overall, by Sovartus

Really good post. I've been doing a lot of the things you posted already anyway, but it's great to have them summed up.

Two additions that have been working really well for me:
1. If your primary scorers are midrange or three point shooters, look for offensive plays that have your center and at least one forward in direct vicinity of the hoop once the shot goes up. A big problem with lots of plays has been for me that there were just no guys around the basket to grab the offensive board. With this adjustment, I always snatch about 12 or's per game and I score a lot on putbacks, too.
2. Players like Rondo or Andre Miller are usually easier to guard because they don't pose an outside threat. You should sag off and double team post players with your point guard. Cutting them off on their way to the hoop is a lot easier, because their non-existant jump shot makes them pretty one-dimensional. In this game, that is...

As most of the time, things that work out in real life work in the game, too.

[coldkevin]

Re: 50 Ways to Beat the CPU or Become a Better 2K Player Overall, by Sovartus

Great thread man......i have a question, when someone said you can create contact and bumps with the left stick, how do you perform that? i tried to go with the LS against the shooter but most of the time my player goes out of position, do you use intense defense when you defend in the post or you can simply shadow the player with LS. So, what is the purpose of the intense defense button? how to use it properly?

[Badgers]

Re: 50 Ways to Beat the CPU or Become a Better 2K Player Overall, by Sovartus

Thanks for the thread, upping the help defense to have the same magic ability that the computer does has worked wonders. Also, holding down the shoot button on catch and shoot situations before the catch has helped massively, so much better now!

[iLLosophy]

Re: 50 Ways to Beat the CPU or Become a Better 2K Player Overall, by Sovartus

A point to add on RS defense:

If the hands up animation triggers, the game registered a "contest" on the shot successfully, unless you were COMPLETELY out of position. This has a bigger detriment to the success of a shot than a simple "two hands up" animation on the RS.

Too many people think both hands up triggers a contest. It has very minimal impact on a shot.

It's just annoying that most of the time the "hands up" animation occurs after the ball is released. The "contest" your defender does doesn't look like a contest at all. Then the commentators talk about how much good defense the guy was playing. Bottom line, a contested shot needs to look like a contested shot

[AdamBa17]

Re: 50 Ways to Beat the CPU or Become a Better 2K Player Overall, by Sovartus

If the hands up animation triggers, the game registered a "contest" on the shot successfully, unless you were COMPLETELY out of position. This has a bigger detriment to the success of a shot than a simple "two hands up" animation on the RS.

???

Whats the difference between "hands up" and "two hands up"?

Are you saying that holding "UP" on the RS is not effective?

I don't understand this post.

edit: do you mean when the defender kind of lunges at the guy with one hand in the air?

[Pared]

Re: 50 Ways to Beat the CPU or Become a Better 2K Player Overall, by Sovartus

It's just annoying that most of the time the "hands up" animation occurs after the ball is released. The "contest" your defender does doesn't look like a contest at all. Then the commentators talk about how much good defense the guy was playing. Bottom line, a contested shot needs to look like a contested shot

There's no way to trigger those contests until a shot occurs. Think about it from a programming perspective - you can't perform y until x occurs.

And it's a contested shot that doesn't alter the shooter. That doesn't mean it's not a contested shot.

???

Whats the difference between "hands up" and "two hands up"?

Are you saying that holding "UP" on the RS is not effective?

I don't understand this post.

Go to practice mode. Take any defender and point the RS in the direction of the ball handler. This is two hands up.

Wait until the CPU shoots. Flick the RS in the direction of the shooter. If you time it right, this is a hands up contest.

And yes, UP is not as effective as this contest.