2K Games' NBA 2K22 has been trying to improve on the formula that has been set since the game's conception. While NBA 2K21 received a lot of flak for its microtransactions impeding the gameplay, NBA 2K22 keeps core gameplay in mind. With better graphics, more refined game mechanics, and improvements on the already popular MyCareer mode, the franchise's latest title aims to bring the absolute best to fans.
While the NBA 2K franchise is relatively easy to dive into, once the players reach the latter stages of the game, it can become difficult to progress. Players will have to start micro-managing and keeping themselves alert during matches. Here are a few pro tips that could help even veterans of the series improve on their playstyles and gaming experience.
10 Learn The Jump Shot
The offense mechanics in NBA 2K22 have been slightly revamped in this title. Players may have a bit of a problem completing more jump shots in this game, as the timing and power for the sliders have been slightly adjusted to make it more realistic.
The jump shot speed can be changed if players are facing difficulty in completing even one jump shot. This also depends a lot on the player's experience and the stats of the character being controlled. Slow down the jump shot speed to 3/4th of the original, if there are too many issues.
9 Transition Defending
Defending when in transition is an important aspect of the game, especially if players are clogging the middle of the court. When all the players are concentrating on the center of the court, it makes it easier for the opposition players to transition into a counter thanks to the enormous space they can find on the periphery.
Players have to fill the lanes based on the position that they started with. Any point guard worth their salt will know that they have to occupy the middle of the court and help during transitions. Other players such as shooters should be in the front of the attack and drift wide to find more space for shooting.
8 Manage Every Aspect Of A Player's Life In MyCareer
In NBA 2K22, the MyCareer mode has been refined even further to include more customization options, as well as more refinement. Players can reach the level of a basketball superstar and even design their own houses to fit their aesthetic sensibilities. Moreover, there are options to invest as a young entrepreneur and understand how the sponsorship system works.
Players will have full control over the life of their character and have to ensure that the decisions that they make on the court aren't affected by the decisions off the court. Otherwise, players could see their career take a nasty fall.
7 Spreading The Floor
The hectic gameplay involved in half-court games often dictates the pace of the rest of the game. Players will have to ensure that when the ball handler is on their team, they should be able to spread out and function properly as a unit. If the point guard has the ball and does not see their teammates spread out, it will decrease the options that they have to move the game forward.
Maximizing each offensive manoeuver requires all the players to keep shifting positions while also increasing the area of play. This will confuse the opposition players and leave more room for error.
6 Boxing Out The Opposition
If the player's team does not have the ball, they should start boxing out the players from the opposition team as soon as possible. Not only does this reduce the options that the opposition has for playing, but it also cuts down the different passing lanes. The opposition will then have to either maintain position or be forced to make errors in the offense.
This tip applies to all the players, regardless of their position. It doesn't matter if the player is playing as a point guard or a finisher. They should find the opposition body nearest to them and box them out as soon as possible.
5 The Trade-Off
NBA 2K22 is a numbers game — naturally, the team with the highest points wins. However, this also means that players sometimes have to make a gamble to cut down on the deficits. In other words, players may have to sacrifice two points in order to guard and block three-pointer shots.
A lot of players make this mistake while defending. They often leave their corners in order to block a two-pointer shot. This creates a lot of space at the corners, which can be utilized by the opposite team in order to try and score three-pointers from the perimeters. Players have to stand their ground and communicate with each other.
4 Defensive Awareness
Defensive awareness in NBA 2K22 is a must, as the game's defense mechanisms have been completely revamped. A defensive center build with less agility will not be able to reach the faster forwards, or will not be able to react to a shot on time if the gap in overalls is too high.
Moreover, communication becomes key, as players are likely to give up their baselines for easy dunks. Players should block or guard the ball handler, and try to shift them towards a side where another teammate is present. This will create a numbers advantage and allow them to stop the attack.
3 Keep Tabs On The Ratings
Like a lot of modern sports simulators, NBA 2K22 also has a live roster update. With these updates, the ratings and stats of real-world players change based on how they are performing in real life. These ratings can decrease if they are out of form, or if they are injured.
Players using the in-game teams should be aware of the players in the squad who aren't performing well, as their lowered ratings also mean that they may not perform well in-game. The live roster changes are quite accurate and can emulate the low confidence of some players when they miss easy shots or get dribbled past easily.
2 Switching Defenses
As expected, defense mechanics have become the main concern with the new iteration of the famous basketball franchise. Even in this situation, communication is key. Players who have been dribbled past by the opposition and don't have a chance to recover should move to the side of the court or to the corner, and let their defensive partner take over at the center.
This will keep the play switched up and might even confuse the opposition to make changes on the fly. Moreover, switching over to the corner means that other opposition players will not have the chance to try and shoot three-pointers from the periphery.
1 Pick A Role
When playing competitive matches online, players should let their teammates know beforehand if they are planning to change things up a bit by playing a different role. This will allow the other players to adjust their positions and tactics accordingly, and possibly surprise the opponents as well.
When picking a role, keep in mind that communication needs to remain constant, and micro-management becomes essential. On attack, it's better to know the role and stick to it as much as possible and be slightly more fluid when it comes to defending, as it is the trickier part of the game.