Help!! 2nd quarter slump

[RogerDodger]

About ten games into my season with the Lakers in MyGM and every single game I'm suffering the same problem. Game starts out as a great contest, first quarter I'm shooting pretty much in line with the averages (just shot 15/25 in a game) but once the second quarter arrives I can't shoot, I can't defend and the game completely gets away from me. I was leading in that same game where I shot 15/25 after quarter one by 8. By the half I was down by 6 having shot 4/15 in quarter 2.

I get that the CPU is changing up stuff to stop me from having the success I was having (if I'm driving the lane I can see them putting more guys in there) and becoming more physical but the alternatives that I'm trying simply don't work. If I play a more physical defence it doesn't seem to work. If I guard the 3 point line they still seem to hit three pointers. On offense, I can't get guys open because everyone is being smothered. I run a pick and roll and it breaks down immediately.

I need some help! Any advice please.

[VAWereWolf65]

I’ve been noticing this as well. I think it might be something that 2k put into the game on purpose.

I’ll shoot below average in the 2nd quarter but once i get to the 3rd or 4th quarter i’ll start shooting well again

[Rockie_Fresh88]

It’s been like that for years . Call timeout for sure . Slow the pace . Take the best shots possible. Look for easy shots. Call timeout again.

[Hustler79]

This slump is definitely hard coded in the games but i wouldnt say the 2nd quarter perse.
It will happen but for me it fluctuates more .it could be any wuarter .

I feel like the game from start to finish is in some sort of frame where you can play basketball but the outcome/storyline is heavily influenced by scripted ness . ( boosts / slumps )

[Hustler79]

For example if the cpu is programmed to make a bucket
It doesnt matter how many hands are contesting or even swatting and blocking that stuff is going IN !

And the same goes on the othrr side of the ball
If cpu wants you to miss you willlll miss regardless

I would love to experience more freedom in game outcomes

[BA2929]

Quote: Originally Posted by RogerDodger

I shot 15/25 after quarter one by 8. By the half I was down by 6 having shot 4/15 in quarter 2.

So you were shooting 47.5% at the half? That's super realistic. Shooting 60% for a quarter is waaaaaaay high.

Seems to me like you were shooting way over your head in the 1st Q and just came back down to Earth in the 2nd. Nothing cheesy or hard coded about that imo.

I'll try to help instead of just blaming it on the developers:

In regards to your defense, I'd personally change the way you guard each individual player if you're struggling to stop them. So change the off-ball and on-ball defense and the pick and roll hedge settings. If one guy or play is killing you, take him/that away. From your post, it seems like you're doing some drastic changes to your defense to try and over compensate for the seemingly unstoppable scoring. From my experience, that rarely works against the CPU, especially on the higher difficulty levels against better teams. (Also, in my experience playing physical defense instead of neutral or conservative doesn't do anything whatsoever and just leads to fouls)

If your offense stagnates, call a set play that you like. If you're getting your points the same way every time down the court, the CPU will take it away pretty quickly. You have to mix it up. Do some manual cuts after you post up or something if you have to.

If you're wondering, I play on Hall of Fame difficulty using a slightly edited HOF slider set I found on OS. I don't remember exactly which one.

[HypoLuxa13]

Has a lot to do with ACE I think. CPU will adjust defensive settings and strategies between quarters, especially if they are losing and giving up 60% fg% against. So instead of playing conservative or normal aggressiveness, it'll switch to Play Physical. Etc... It seems like the CPU coaches don't do much on-the-fly strategy adjustments the way a user can. Between quarters and at halftime is when it seems to adjust for CPU.

[HolyStroke3]

What's your rotation like? Probably play more bench players in the second quarter or you're fatigued