2K21 Realistic Stats to Strive For

[mvpstax]

UPDATED for 2K23 (Not much has changed...)

Since a lot of us are always looking to put together sliders that give us a mix of sliders that produce:

A.) Realistic play
B.) Realistic stats
C.) A little bit of fun

...I thought it would be good to collect some stats that we should strive for. Obviously these are ranges since not all teams are equal in the likes of talent, play-style, etc.

I combed through data of the past three seasons to come up with ranges that produce minimums and maximums for team stats for the season. On a per-game basis, we should fall between the following ranges.

This doesn't mean that every game will fall between these ranges because outliers do exist. But these ranges would be considered "normal".

...

Team Stats:

TOT PTS: 98 - 120
League average last year: 110.6 (111.8 in '20)

FG%: 40% - 52%
League average last year: 46.1% (46% in '20)

FGA: 80 - 96
League average last year: 88.1 (88.8 in '20)

3P%: 30% - 40%
League average last year: 35.4% (35.8% in '20)

3PA: 24 - 47
League average last year: 35.2 (34.1 in '20)

FT%: 67% - 85%
League average last year: 77.5% (77.3% in '20)

FTA: 15 - 30
League average last year: 21.9 (23.1 in '20)

PIP: 34 - 60
League median last year: 47.8
Last year high: 57.6 MEM (55.9 (MEM) in '20)
Last year low: 41.5 NY (43.6 (SA) in '20)
Note: Normally 38%-52% of total points would come from the paint

TOT REB: 36 - 54
League average last year: 44.5 (44.8 in '20)

OFF REB: 6 - 14
League average last year: 10.3 (10.1 in '20)

AST: 18 - 31
League average last year: 24.6 (24.4 in '20)

TO: 9 - 19
League average last year: 13.8 (14.5 in '20)

DUNKS: 2 - 8
League average in '18-'19: 4.6
Note: This one is loose because there isn't much data on team dunks that I could find, but it works.

...

For individual players, it's a bit harder since there is way more variability. Instead, let's look at the maximum values and aim to make sure guys aren't falling way outside of the norm. For instance, there shouldn't be anyone chucking 20 three's per game.

Also, since guys play all different minutes, I'm going to use stats on a per 36 minutes basis.

Player Stats (max ranges):

FGA per 36 min: 21 - 26
Max last year: 22 (Luka)
Note: Remember that FTA's don't get counted in FGA's. So Luka basically took 22 FGA plus almost 8 FTA per 36 mins last year. 8 FTA's would equal to 4 extra shot attempts if we assume they are two point shots and non and-1's.

3PA per 36 min: 10 - 15
Max last year: 12.2 (Curry)

FTA per 36 min: 14 - 19
Max last year: 12.6 (Embed)

REB per 36 min: 13 - 19
Max last year: 17 (Drummond)


...

Tendencies:

Good stat breakdown for shot tendencies by team here: <a href="https://go.nba.com/w2qx">https://go.nba.com/w2qx</a>

Gotta go through it and break it down in the future.
...

Maybe I'll come back to add more relevant stats to strive for, or even post a set of sliders myself at a later date. But in the meantime, hopefully this is helpful for someone (besides myself) trying to create a "realistic" game.


Sliders I am using (for 2k21):

Spoiler

This is just how I play. Credit goes to <a href="https://forums.operationsports.com/forums/nba-2k-basketball-sliders/978916-nba-2k21-eccentric-edition-next-gen-slider-set.html" target="_blank">EccentricMeat's Sliders</a> that I used as a base before tweaking.

This is Next-Gen btw...

This set is NOT recommended for camera angles such as 2K Cam, High, or any other camera angle that does not represent a "side view" of the court

Camera: Nosebleeds, Zoom: 1, Height: 4
Broadcast angle can also work here.

Game Speed - 50

CONTROLLER SETTINGS
Shot Timing - Real Player %
FT Timing - Real Player %
Pro Stick Orientation - Absolute
Help Defense Button Function - Call for Help
Pro Stick Defense - Absolute
Defensive Assist with Intense-D - 0 (you can try increasing by increments of 5 if you have trouble sticking in front of your man)
Boxout Assist Strength - 50
Pass Target Direction - 85
Pass Target Distance - 5
Pass Target Openness - 10


COACH SETTINGS
Adaptive Coaching Engine - Offense & Defense
Substitution Method - Rotation
Offensive PlayVision - All Plays
PlayVision Display - Full
Playcalling Messages - Show All
Offense Playcalling - Auto
Defense Playcalling - Manual
Freelance Series Order - Dynamic
Freelance Series Repeat - No Not Repeat


SLIDERS
Base: Hall of Fame

OFFENSE User/CPU (both if only one listed)

FT Difficulty - 65
Inside Shot Success - 57/64
Close Shot Success - 58/65
Mid-Range Success - 68/75
3PT Success - 48/62
Layup Success - 52/60
Dunk in Traffic Freq. - 1
Dunk in Traffic Success - 50/54
Pass Accuracy - 45
Alley-Oop Success - 50/53
Contact Shot Success - 58/70
Ball Security - 35/30
Body-Up Sensitivity - 100
Pass Speed - 45/50


DEFENSE User/CPU (both if only one listed)

Driving Contact Shot Freq. - 100
Inside Contact Shot Freq. - 100
Layup Defense Strength (Takeoff) - 90/100
Layup Defense Strength (Release) - 75
Jump Shot Defense Strength (Takeoff) - 50/60
Jump Shot Defense Strength (Release) - 70/85
Help Defense Strength - 100
Steal Success - 35/45


ATTRIBUTES User/CPU (both if only one listed)

Acceleration - 20/25
Vertical - 25
Strength - 50
Stamina - 55
Speed - 47
Durability - 50
Hustle - 85/100
Ball Handling - 60
Hands - 100
Dunk Ability - 40
On-Ball Defense - 50/100
Stealing - 25/50
Blocking - 25/50
Off Awareness - 50/100
Def Awareness - 75/100
Off Rebounding - 25
Def Rebounding - 55/65
Off Consistency - 50
Def Consistency - 50/100
Fatigue Rate - 45
Lat Quickness - 75/100


TENDENCIES

Only ones that matter for User (if not listed, leave at 50):
Attempt Dunks: 50
Attempt Putbacks: 100
Play Passing Lanes: 75
Go for On-Ball Steals: 100
Contest Shots: 100
Backdoor Cuts: 50

For CPU only:
Take Inside Shots - 0
Take Close Shots - 20
Take Mid-Range Shots - 100
Take 3PT Shots - 45
Post Shots - 25
Attack the Basket - 70
Look for Post Players - 75
Throw Alley-Oops - 50
Attempt Dunks - 50
Attempt Putbacks - 100
Play Passing Lanes - 100
Go for On-Ball Steals - 100
Contest Shots - 100
Backdoor Cuts - 50


FOULS User/CPU (both if only one listed)

Over the Back - 100
Charging - 100
Blocking - 100
Reaching - 100
Shooting - 100/85
Loose Ball - 100
Illegal Screen - 100


MOVEMENT User/CPU (both if only one listed)

Speed with Ball (Max) - 60
Speed with Ball (Min) - 40
Acceleration with Ball (Max) - 60
Acceleration with Ball (Min) - 40
Speed without Ball (Max) - 85
Speed without Ball (Min) - 55
Acceleration without Ball (Max) - 85
Acceleration without Ball (Min) - 55


IN-GAME SETTINGS

Gameplan > Defensive Settings
Pre-Rotate - Yes (All)
Drive Help Rules - Help & No Rotation (All)
Double Team Perimeter - On Drive (All) (Do this if you're still having trouble containing the drive and want to see more kickouts)

Gameplan > Coaching Sliders
Help Defense - 100

[EccentricMeat]

Re: 2K21 Realistic Stats to Strive For

Terrific post. I did something like this waaaay back, like 2013, and always meant to post an updated version.

This is much better [emoji1305]

[res2]

Re: 2K21 Realistic Stats to Strive For

This is great. I keep looking these up one off when I need 'em. Great to have in one place.

Thumbs up!

[devin2kgamer]

Re: 2K21 Realistic Stats to Strive For

Don't forget about Team Fouls Per Game

League Wide Average last season: 20.8 Fouls Per Game

https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2020.html

Hawks (highest): 23.1
Cavs (lowest): 18.3

[EccentricMeat]

Re: 2K21 Realistic Stats to Strive For

I've added a link to this at the bottom of my slider set thread, crediting you of course

Thanks again for making our jobs easier!

[dlb731]

Re: 2K21 Realistic Stats to Strive For

I have a slider set that I've been working on that simulates the stats pretty well, except for CPU fouls and free throws. It's the same issue every single year where I can't foul the computer for anything. I can draw them, but can't dish them out. LOL

[mvpstax]

Re: 2K21 Realistic Stats to Strive For

I have a slider set that I've been working on that simulates the stats pretty well, except for CPU fouls and free throws. It's the same issue every single year where I can't foul the computer for anything. I can draw them, but can't dish them out. LOL

Yeah the FT's are crazy every year. I used to be able to set my quick settings to "play physical" and that would create more fouls, but I don't see that option anymore (playing on next gen). Try it out.

I haven't dug into the coach profiles yet, but there might be a quick hack in there to have guys play more aggressive or something. Easier to change one coaching profile (if there is a fix for humans) than all of them at least, or worse, editing the rosters...

[dlb731]

Re: 2K21 Realistic Stats to Strive For

Yeah the FT's are crazy every year. I used to be able to set my quick settings to "play physical" and that would create more fouls, but I don't see that option anymore (playing on next gen). Try it out.

I haven't dug into the coach profiles yet, but there might be a quick hack in there to have guys play more aggressive or something. Easier to change one coaching profile (if there is a fix for humans) than all of them at least, or worse, editing the rosters...

I'm playing on next gen as well. The fouls aren't consistent. The first game I played with the sliders, it went well... Even had two players foul out.. but after that, the fouls just dropped off.

And I agree.. in the past I would set it to physical defense, and it would increase the fouls, but the way they have the options setup this year is weird.

[mvpstax]

Re: 2K21 Realistic Stats to Strive For

I'm playing on next gen as well. The fouls aren't consistent. The first game I played with the sliders, it went well... Even had two players foul out.. but after that, the fouls just dropped off.

And I agree.. in the past I would set it to physical defense, and it would increase the fouls, but the way they have the options setup this year is weird.

Right now I have all of my foul sliders maxed out besides the shooting foul for the cpu (the slider that determines how often the human shoots FT), which I have at like 80 or 85.

I feel like I'm getting closer, but not sure how to raise the shooting fouls. Here's the boxscore from my last game:

<img src="https://imgur.com/jOhFnw1.png"/>

Field Goal Attempts were a little low, so I wonder if we had a few more FGA, would there have been another couple of fouls?

Going to try bumping up the 3PT tendency another point or two, while decreasing the inside shot by maybe 5. Also going to try lowering ball control slightly.

This game felt good though, and I did see a foul on a jump shot. My defender was on Jaylen Brown's hip as he was driving, then he pulled up from the FT line and my guy caught him on the arm. So that was cool.

[zten11]

Re: 2K21 Realistic Stats to Strive For

Just wanted to share this thread I created today...I kind of wanted to put it in sliders since it's related but it's player tendencies and that also has a lot to do with sliders. This is some of my insight on tendencies I fix up and I'll also be looking for a legitimate slider set to accompany all of this...

https://forums.operationsports.com/f...1-new-gen.html

[mvpstax]

Re: 2K21 Realistic Stats to Strive For

Couple new boxscores in testing...

Spurs (human) vs Clippers (CPU)




and.. Cavs (CPU) vs Knicks (human)




Still mainly focused on tweaking the PIP numbers, increasing three-point attempts (which both may be fixed by increasing the 3pt shot tendency), and increasing fouls.

Overall these are getting closer I think. The second game was super ugly, but so are those two teams, so..

I posted my setup and the sliders I use on the first post if anyone is interested.

[zten11]

Re: 2K21 Realistic Stats to Strive For

Looks like you just started on this site but clearly have some experience with all of this stuff..are you on Xbox and also what roster do you use?

We might be able to work on something together...

[mvpstax]

Re: 2K21 Realistic Stats to Strive For

Looks like you just started on this site but clearly have some experience with all of this stuff..are you on Xbox and also what roster do you use?

We might be able to work on something together...

Thanks. I've been playing this game for awhile but usually find a set of sliders I like (normally Shady's, but he's not on next-gen this year), so I had to start creating my own this year.

I use the official 2k roster. Planning to start a mynba with a few updated signature shots for players on my team though, and mass-edited ratings for fouls (going to try putting everyone at 100 for realistic amount of fouls) and to lower the G-League players potential back down to realistic numbers.

[Evtnj]

Re: 2K21 Realistic Stats to Strive For

Has anybody figured out how to get realistic fast break numbers for the CPU? I consistently see 3 or 5 fast break points and I went into the coach profiles and changed everyone to run in transition. They seem to want to run but end up never passing to open shooter or they all wait for PG to get the ball. Thanks.

[mvpstax]

Re: 2K21 Realistic Stats to Strive For

Has anybody figured out how to get realistic fast break numbers for the CPU? I consistently see 3 or 5 fast break points and I went into the coach profiles and changed everyone to run in transition. They seem to want to run but end up never passing to open shooter or they all wait for PG to get the ball. Thanks.

Some things that help are maxing out play passing lanes, go for on-ball steals, and hands (this creates deflections).

I posted sliders towards the bottom of the first post that I am currently using (still a work in progress). But you can try those out and see if you see any difference. Give it a full two or three games though before you judge.