From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #559 of the NLSC Podcast! There have been scores of basketball video games released over the years, but which one has been the best sim? This week, we join the community in nominating some of the top candidates for titles that have achieved the most realism on the virtual hardwood. We also reflec…

From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #558 of the NLSC Podcast! The state of the NBA is once again on our minds, and so we pose the question: are three-pointers actively ruining the league and making it far less fun to watch? As much as we enjoy long-range sharpshooters doing their thing and a timely trey that makes the net explode, …

From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #557 of the NLSC Podcast! What does “sim” really entail when it comes to basketball video games? There are definitely some myths and misunderstandings, which we’re certainly eager to clear up! This includes how realism affects the virtual hardwood, and how recent games have performed in their app…

From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #556 of the NLSC Podcast! What are some of the worst basketball and basketball video game takes that we’ve encountered over the years? This week, we join our fellow gamers and hoop heads in recalling an assortment of truly terrible opinions that definitely made us scoff! We also played a couple o…

From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #555 of the NLSC Podcast! Player Lock is arguably one of the most underrated gameplay features outside of its use in career and online team play modes, but picking a suitable role is paramount whichever mode you’re playing. To that end, this week we join the community in choosing the players that…

From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #554 of the NLSC Podcast! What is it that keeps us hooked on the virtual hardwood? This week, we join the community in sharing the reasons why we play basketball video games, ranging from a love of the sport, to bonding experiences with family and friends, to joyful fantasy and escapism. Followin…

From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #553 of the NLSC Podcast! This week’s show is all about the past, present, and future…and some combinations thereof! First of all, we tip things off with a recap of a fun co-op session of NBA 2K13 PC, in which we used a 1996 roster to take on the Hawks with Shaq and Penny’s Magic. Needless to say…

From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #552 of the NLSC Podcast! As the 2025 season gets underway, how do we feel about the current state of the NBA? This week, we join the community in sharing our opinions of the league these days, from three-point barrages and lacklustre defense to zero-tolerance technical fouls and the pace of the …

From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #551 of the NLSC Podcast! Does Gravity Ball belong in NBA 2K25? This week, we join the community in reacting to the new mode for The City that’s not only paid downloadable content, but for our money, frankly has very little to do with basketball! To that point, we discuss 2K’s motivations for add…

From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #550 of the NLSC Podcast! Assuming that we could get anyone from NBA history into a mo-cap suit, who are the five players that we’d choose to perform motion capture for a basketball video game? This week, we join the community in naming our All-Time Mo-Cap Starting Fives! We also recap a most unu…

Despite the ease of sharing highlights and connecting with fellow gamers, we've noticed a reluctance to do so nowadays. After discussing the potential causes, we urge the community to actively share their love of basketball gaming, and take an interest in what others are doing on the virtual hardwood. We also pay tribute to Dikembe Mutombo, and joi…

Derrick Rose has officially retired, and naturally, we have a few thoughts in the wake of his announcement, including whether or not he should have his jersey retired by the Bulls. This leads us to join the community in reminiscing about some other player retirements that affected us. We also discuss johnz1's upcoming mods for NBA Jam: On Fire Edit…

Although we're still playing NBA 2K25 and have a few updates on what we've been doing in it, we're putting the game on the backburner this week. To that end, we recap a session playing NBA Live 06 PC with a work-in-progress ABA mod, and reflect on the league's legacy and importance in basketball history. We also join the community in reminiscing ab…

NBA 2K25 has been out for about a couple of weeks now, which means the annual honeymoon phase is drawing to a close. To that end, this week we join the community in following up on our first impressions with a rundown of our key likes and dislikes of the game so far. We also recap a co-op session in which we took on Dwight Howard's Magic with Derri…

NBA 2K25 is out now, so this week, we join the community in sharing our first impressions of the gameplay! Our time on the sticks has revealed a number of pros and cons, though we'll certainly continue to comment on NBA 2K25 in the coming weeks and months. We also reflect on some of the pre-release footage proving to be misleading, and feeling cons…

You know what really grinds our gears? This week, we take a page out of Peter Griffin's book to discuss a few things that are bugging us, from Anthony Edwards' ridiculous comments to unnecessarily rude and hostile interactions to content creators being scripted super shills. We also join the community in reacting to pre-release NBA 2K25 gameplay fo…

After celebrating a milestone, we delve into some NBA 2K25 MyTEAM news, including the return of the Auction House. Although we're intrigued and will give the mode a try if we like the gameplay, we're still sceptical, and it would appear that the community shares our view. We also discuss the positives and negatives of community days in light of the…

As the NBA 2K25 preview season rolls on, this week we react to the latest news including the Steph Era coming to MyNBA, the return of MyGM, enhancements to The W, and other details. We also read out some reactions from the community, from their thoughts on the new era to which one they're planning on playing. Additionally, we recap a session with N…

This week, we react to the NBA 2K25 Courtside Report previewing MyCAREER and MyPLAYER. While some of the details are promising on the surface, the grindy nature of the mode and pushy recurrent revenue mechanics remain an elephant in the room that too many influencers refuse to acknowledge. We also asked the community what they'd pay for a home port…

The first gameplay trailer for NBA 2K25 has been released, along with a courtside report outlining the key improvements that we can expect to see. This week, we join the community in sharing our thoughts on the trailer, and our reactions to the changes, additions, and promises described in the developer blog. We also discuss the new arcade-exclusiv…

Several former EA developers are working on The Run: Got Next; a 3-on-3 basketball game that's being described as a spiritual successor to NBA Street. This week, we join the community in sharing our thoughts on IGN's early preview of the game, and whether it sounds like it's truly carrying on the legacy of the iconic series. We also react to a New …

As we wait for the NBA 2K25 preview season to kick into high gear, we have another PC basketball game to keep an eye on: Full Court Heroes. As the demo is currently available on Steam, we have some impressions to share. We also recap a session playing NBA Live 2000 PC and NBA 2K for the Dreamcast back-to-back, leading us to compare the two games an…

The first details about NBA 2K25 have been revealed, and they've brought exciting news: the New Gen version is coming to PC! This week, we join the community in discussing this much-anticipated announcement, as well as some other details such as the system requirements, lack of crossplay with the console versions, and the cover players. We also spe…

The NBA 2K League has been put on hiatus until 2025, which came as a surprise to the players and everyone else involved. This week, we join the community in discussing how and why the NBA 2K League failed to meet some incredibly lofty expectations, despite the backing of the NBA. We also recap our recent sessions with NBA Live 10 and NBA 2K10, advi…

No basketball video game is universally liked, and sometimes you just won't vibe with a title that most other gamers seem to enjoy. This week, we join the community in discussing the games that other people liked, but for one reason or another, we just couldn't get into. We also share some more stories of playing real basketball, and react to an ar…

More and more basketball gamers are revisiting the classics, and also stepping back in time with retro season mods, as we did in a fun session with NBA 2K10 using a 1997 roster. This week, we join the community in discussing our increased interest in retro content - whether it's through mods or what's in the game by default - as well as the importa…

Which NBA players from the past would be even better today? This week, we join the community in picking five players - be they superstars, fringe All-Stars, or role players - that we believe would really thrive in the modern NBA. We also pay tribute to the late, great Jerry West, the inspiration for the NBA logo and one of the league's most success…

Which basketball video games made you fall in love with the genre? This week, we join the community in reminiscing about the titles that got us hooked on the virtual hardwood, and how that so often coincides with the wonderful time that is our entry into passionate basketball fandom. We also share some thoughts on the 2024 NBA Finals, which leads u…

With EA Sports College Football 25 generating some positive buzz, could it lead to EA Sports bringing back its college basketball series as well? Or indeed, could the NBA Live series finally return as EA expands its lineup? This week, we join the community in discussing EA Sports potentially returning to the virtual hardwood, and our expectations f…

If a basketball video game featuring modern technology but a past setting was ever to be released, which year would you want it to be? This week, we join the community in sharing our choices of legendary seasons to re-live. We also react to the announcement of upcoming arcade hoops game NBA Superstars, discuss interactions with former NBA players o…

Which stars, past or present, have been harder to use in basketball video games than they should've been? This week, we join the community in recalling our most memorable examples, and discussing why we struggled with them. We also recap a fun session using 1986 rosters in NBA 2K19, and discuss the dismaying news that NBA 2K24 has been extremely pr…

Who are the most memorable deadeyes from downtown on the virtual hardwood? This week, we join in the community in reminiscing about the best three-point shooters in the history of basketball video games. We also discuss the possibility of intrusive in-game ads becoming the norm - along with some worrying examples that we've already seen - and recal…

What is the most overused jargon in basketball discourse? This week, we join the community in listing the terms that annoy us the most. We also cover the latest NBA 2K24 MyTEAM controversy, wherein 2K has abruptly and without explanation pulled a Kobe Bryant reward card that a pre-release developer insight promised was coming in Season 6. Of course…

Who are the worst and most annoying commentators in basketball video games? This week, we join the community in picking our least favourite voices of the virtual hardwood. Of course, it probably won't come as a surprise that we're generally not fans of them in real life, either! We also recap a fun session with Basketball Classics, and quiz the com…

Which basketball games are the easiest and hardest to put up stats in? This week, we join the community in discussing the titles that stick out in our minds, and the statistics that either eluded us or piled up way too easily. We also recap a session with Virtua NBA, provide an update on our journey in the original NBA Jam, pick our ideal games for…

After feeling inspired to revisit the Super Nintendo version of the original NBA Jam, we were reminded of how fun it still is...and also, just how unfair it can be! A couple of interesting ratings likewise stood out, leading us to dive into some statistics from 1993. We also join the community in discussing which ideas we'd take from other sports g…

What are some of our favourite NBA jerseys of all-time? This week, we join the community in naming our top three uniforms throughout history, as well as listing other memorable designs as honourable mentions. We also discuss some of the players that made those jerseys so iconic, and reflect on how 90s styles are seemingly making a comeback despite …

Obviously we're big fans of and advocates for PC gaming, but are the benefits worth the drawbacks and potential expense? This week, we join the community in discussing the pros and cons of PC gaming - basketball and otherwise - and recommend price ranges for anyone in the market for a new rig. We also share our expectations for NBA 2K25 on PC, disc…

Could an unlicensed basketball video game provide a viable alternative to NBA 2K, if it had great gameplay, deep customisation and sharing options, a robust franchise mode, and a price tag of $39.99 USD? This week, we join the community in discussing this very intriguing idea! We also take a look back at NBA 2K8 following a Parsec session that sadl…

What was the best generation of NBA Live and NBA 2K respectively? This week, we join the community in nominating the golden age for each series. We also recap a couple of exciting co-op Parsec sessions with NBA Live 2000 PC and NBA 2K2 for GameCube, follow up on Troydan's successful MyTEAM pull, discuss digital ownership, and note an unfortunate si…

Which modes have kept us hooked on the virtual hardwood over the years? Along with the community, we reminisce about some of our all-time favourite modes, and the games we played them in. We also respond to the latest ridiculous narrative being pushed about Michael Jordan and NBA history, catch up on Troydan's quest to pull a 100 Overall card in NB…

With the announcement that EA are laying off 670 people, we share our thoughts on an unfortunate industry trend, and also what it might mean for NBA Live. On the bright side, while the outlook for future games may seem bleak, we're arguably in a golden age for retro gaming! To that end, we recap our recent sessions with ESPN NBA Basketball and NBA …

The community has really been cooking with their submissions for the NLSC Top 10 Plays, and we're still excited about last week's countdown! To that end, we recap those spectacular virtual hardwood moments, and provide advice for both recording and submitting your highlights. We also note some recent improvements to PS2 emulation, discuss the ongoi…

We've been on a major NBA Live kick recently, so in addition to recapping our Parsec sessions with NBA Live 97, 2004, 06, 09, and 10, we join the community in reflecting upon the NBA Live titles that we've spent the most time with over the years. We also discuss 2K reaching a whole new level of greed with NBA 2K24 MyTEAM, and celebrate Michael Jord…

Following up on last week's show, we react to Take-Two's defense of Virtual Currency as "fictions". On a slightly less contentious note, in response to a post on our Discord, we weigh in on the NBA Jam vs. NBA Street debate. We also recap a session with NBA Live 2002, join the community in talking about preferred camera angles, and open up the mail…

NBA 2K24 is prompting gamers to accept new Terms of Service with updated clauses regarding class action lawsuits and digital purchases. We discuss how the move has further eroded goodwill, with language that comes across as threatening in the wake of recent legal action against Take-Two. We also criticise the silence from influencers, as well as th…

If we could bring back just one Triple-A release as an alternative to NBA 2K, what type of game would we choose: NBA sim, NBA arcade, street, or college basketball? This week we join the community in answering that very tough question! We also recap a session revisiting Konami's ESPN NBA 2Night, and open up the mailbag to discuss the players that g…

It's Wishlist season once again, so this week, we join the community in listing our top three gameplay wishes for NBA 2K25! Not surprisingly, many of us have similar thoughts on what we want to see. We also discuss NBA ShootOut (aka Total NBA '96) and Sony's NBA 08, reflect on past-their-prime players still having something left in the tank, and pr…

What is the most important and impactful position in basketball? Or indeed, is there one? Both we and our listeners share our thoughts on traditional roles, and players stepping outside of them throughout the years. We naturally draw comparisons to basketball video games, from Fantasy Draft preferences to how real hoops influences our style on the …

Are the NBA 2K League competitors the best in the world at the game? Both we and the community have some thoughts on that, as well as a ridiculous comparison to real NBA players. We also recap a fun session with Street Hoops by Black Ops Entertainment, discuss sportsmanship in real basketball, and invite the community to share their basketball gami…