The Sovartus Defense Tutorial and Points in the Paint Reduction Strategies

[Sovartus]

Quote: Originally Posted by shegotgame

Thank you for this thoughtful, clear, insightful post. As I work to incorporate these notes, I have but one question: how certain are you of the bolded element--jumping vs. contest? I feel like I've heard this argument before but never got the final ruling. I think I stray away from contesting at certain points on the floor because it doesn't activate (or maybe I instinctively push in the wrong direction)--and it's a " hand down man down" situation. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

There is an aggressive "swat block" RT/R2 + Y (triangle)
There is a block just Y (triangle)

Both of these cause you to leave your feet making you vulnerable to the drive and being out of position for an actual contest. I oversimplified this for the sake of noobs and the KISS Principle (keep it simple stupid).

Your coach told you, "don't ever leave your feet when you close out!"

I was told by 2K development, to use RS to contest shots because it is much more effective and this has since been my experience playing the game. It is now the only way I defend shots unless I am trying to block the shot purposefully with a player with a High Block rating. I also look at vertical ratings and the height of the defender is important too. What you want to do is look down at the defender's feet and notice the arrows that change with your distance from the shooter. 1 arrow is close enough to effectively contest a shot. 2 arrows, much less effective and height and vertical become more important factors. 3 arrows, you basically aren't there. If you want to test this theory, go into training mode or Association Drills (I can't remember where it is) and do the defensive drill that provides feedback on if the shot is contested. It tells you "great defense", "average", or "wide open"... or something like that. You can contest a shot with the Y (triangle) but it's just not as effective in my experience.

Using the RS to play post defense is mad effective as well. Try it, it works. It also keeps your bigs out of foul trouble. Only go for Post Defense shot blocks with players that are good at shot blocking. Players with high post def ratings are adept at neutralizing post move attempts and have smothering post shot contests that make people miss at the rim, for real!

[Sovartus]

Quote: Originally Posted by Goffs

I heard about pro settings years ago and I agree the CPU plays so much like themselves but I find that setting to easy to score. Will sliders affect the CPU ratings?

My understanding is that the sliders affect the equation that determines success, not the player ratings. I could be wrong.

On the Pro setting, I have adopted new challenges which kind of neutralize my ability to score easily. Here are a few of those challenges:

1. According to TeamRankings.com, the Denver Nuggets scored the most points in the paint per game last year with 54%. The average team only scored 40%. The worst team (NY Knicks) scored a measly 34%. I try to keep my PIP within that threshold. Even more so, I try to limit the cpu to the lower end of that spectrum.

2. The average NBA team scored 97 pts per game. I try to hold my opponents under that mark with 12 min quarters.

3. The average NBA team attempts only 82 shots per game total. I try to hold my opponent under that mark. (It's freakin' hard to do in 12 min quarters) It takes some serious defense and you have to be focused on limiting the cpu's second chance opportunities.

4. I try to force my opponent into 22+ turnovers per game.

5. I focus on trying to win the rebounding battle.

6. I am aware of the superstars' stats and try my best to limit their touches and game impact below real life averages and neutralize their production in general.

7. Try to stay within or close to the real life stat averages of the team/players you are playing with.

So as you can see, I'm not simply trying to "outscore" the other team. I'm trying to beat the other team on BOTH ends of the floor. It makes the game much harder in my opinion.

[Goffs]

Nice...going to give pro a try this year...

[Sovartus]

Quote: Originally Posted by siraulo23

This is awesome stuff Any tips for my career on HOF difficulty? When ur only controlling one player and ur on a bad team, is it possible to win?

I don't really play My Career mode, I'm just not a fan. I would image the defensive challenges on ball would be just as relevant though. I would challenge you to try to be the best help defender you can be. If you know about help positioning, rotations, show and recover, and so forth, I would find enjoyment in seeing if I could do it effectively in 2K My Career mode.

As far as the bad team thing..... demand a trade.. LOL

[Coach2K]

All good tips.

By far I think the most important concept on defense is staying on a direct line between the ball and the basket and contesting the shot.

I'm also big on only using the RS. I use intense d as my setting, however I do modify with L2 to contest because of that.

I differ on the pick and roll as I keep my big in front of the roller and give up the outside shot. So I like to take control of the big, step back while keeping the big on that direct line between his man and the basket, let the small slip through then take back control of the small.

As far as difficulty levels go, I think the main difference in levels is basically learning to play defense not necessarily manipulation.

If you run an effective offense, take care of the ball, take good shots, and take away SPACE on shots by contesting, then you'll be competitive on all levels.

Pro is a great level to play on and I'd probably recommend that to everyone as well.

One other key to defense is making the other team play against all five of your guys. I always think a really good offense is the best thing you can do for your defense.

An additional point I'd like to make which is a lot harder to persuade people to do is to learn to play defense with your default coaching sliders and auto defensive settings.

Like the original poster eluded to, many people know their team on offense and understand how to use them but not so much on defense because they try and use them the wrong way and then have problems and blame the settings

Because the settings and adjustments are there, you kind of feel like you need to use them and rightly or wrongly, when you play vs users, they will often feel cheated by guys that really know how to use them because they feel the defenders are playing over their head because of them.

And if you don't know what you are doing a good user can defeat your settings just like any other defense.

In league play vs users, play style is the number one complaint. Playing a team out of the box reduces complaints people might make about your play and allows you to say that you didn't make any changes.

I'm not saying that's it wrong to use the settings or anything, but certainly playing out of the box is the best place to start.

And also if you are going to be limited by the ratings of your players, I personally think your coach should come into play as well.

I've also had as much success vs the CPU on all levels and vs some really tough users without changing anything.

[Sovartus]

Quote: Originally Posted by www.Coach2K.com

As far as difficulty levels go, I think the main difference in levels is basically learning to play defense not necessarily manipulation.

I would submit that it takes a fairly high degree of mastery to play effectively on HOF without any slider adjustments to the Default Simulation Slider set. Learning to play great defense helps a bunch, although I still hold to the idea that autonomous "bending" of the programming happens more than people realize or will humbly admit to. You must be fully dialed in and attentive to every detail, adjustment, and player momentum swings (ratings boots as players play well..... hot streaks and the like). You have to pay attention to what adjustments and personnel changes the CPU makes. You also must have good time out and clock management or you will get burned late in the game or look up and see the CPU on some "runaway train" type of run that you can't stop. In my experience, if the CPU goes up by more than 10 on HOF, it will be pure hell trying to get back into the game and win.

When playing user vs user, HOF setting doesn't affect gameplay at all really. It only makes the shot release window smaller so players miss more open shots. My opinion is that it masks poor defense. I would submit that All Star or Superstar would be the more ideal setting for user vs user. Preferably All Star, from my point of view, to expose defensive weakness or prowess.

[Coach2K]

I was surprised you targeted 22 turnovers a game. Rare I get that many.

Most know I disagree on the HOF ideas but I know it's a challenge.

[stillfeelme]

On ball defense ratings and strength:

This needs to be brought up but on current gen an on ball defender is not created equally. I know Sreckless has brought it up and I noticed the same thing. The strength rating of a player will reduce the effectiveness of your player to play on ball defense which isn't necessarily true but exists in this game.


A good on ball defender like Avery Bradley can be negated by stronger guards because animations will force him to be pushed out of the way or he will have a harder time forcing a pick up dribble animation. This is based off his strength rating. I think 2K needs to re-evaluate how strength plays on for on ball defense if it is the same for next gen