NBA 2K23 Gameplay Details / News / Info (All): Offense, Defense, Animations, Shooting, Dribbling, Takeover, Badges, More (Updated)

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NBA 2KW Staff
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We are tracking and accumulating ALL NBA 2K23 Gameplay News, Info, and Impressions that have been made available from multiple sources.

This page will be updated often, so be sure to check back here for the latest NBA 2K23 gameplay news!

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NBA 2K23 GAMEPLAY DETAILS

SHOOTING

SHOOTING ATTRIBUTES

  • Shooting gets some nice upgrades for NBA 2K23. In NBA 2K22, success from the outside was heavily weighted toward coverage. If you could get an open look, you could balance out poor ratings and inaccurate timing. This year, we wanted a more authentic shooting model that captures the essence of a great NBA shooter’s capabilities.
  • This year’s major change is the addition of shooting attributes, which give each signature jump shot its own unique shooting stats that help determine its effectiveness. There are also five new shot meters to choose from, with 15 more that can be unlocked through Seasons over the coming year.
  • This year, each signature jump shot has unique shooting stats that help determine its effectiveness.
    • Shot Speed – How quickly the shot gets to its ideal release point
    • Release Height – How high the shot is released
    • Defensive Immunity – How effective the shot is against defensive contests
    • Timing Impact – Adjusts shot windows to reward good timing at the cost of an increased penalty for bad timing
    • Sig jumpers have attributes and rating requirements in NBA 2K23. Make sure you check the available jumpers with the test build feature to make sure you can get the shot you want before locking in your build [smalls=under 6’5″] [swings=6’5″-6’9″] [bigs=6’10″+].

(See image for examples)

  • For MyPLAYERs, shot animations will be gated by shooting ratings, so you’ll have to play around with all the options to figure out what works best for your skill set and playing style.
  • The custom shot you create will generate attributes and a shot rating requirement based on the components you use to build the shot.
  • Slightly white shots don’t drop in NBA 2K23 like they did last year. At least not on higher difficulties and online. You have to earn your makes.

SIGNATURE JUMP SHOTS

  • A huge number of shot animations to choose from, over double the amount of any previous version of 2K, and they’re much more accurate to each player’s real-life jumper. T Mac has a new shot. He actually came to mocap it for us this year.
  • Working on adding a new controller setting to let you customize where your ideal release point is in your shots (early near takeoff or late closer to the wrist flick.) Still working out the kinks but gonna be fire.
  • Only need either Mid Range and 3 Point Shot (not both) at a certain attribute rating to unlock Steph’s or Kyrie’s shot.
  • The numbered generic shots are gone but there are way more signature shots than 2K has ever had. You’ll find plenty of options for your shot this year.
  • All shots are named after players
  • Jump shots have been completely revamped
  • The Jumpshot Creator is still in the game — you can mix and match bases and releases and control blending and speed.

SHOT METERS & FEEDBACK

  • There are 5 new shot meters to choose from, with 15 more that can be unlocked through Seasons over the coming year.
  • Some big, some small, some above the head, some to the side, and some below the shooter.
  • Each meter completely fills to the end, which is your ideal release point, then empties on the late side ala 2K17-2K20.
  • A subtle change was added to how shot feedback works this year. We use shot arcs to help indicate whether you’re early (high arc), late (flat arc), or on time (ideal arc), so by paying attention you can easily tell right away if your release is off.
  • With Shot Feedback enabled, we’re delaying the timing/coverage overlay and green release animations from coming up until the ball hits the basket. It’s a small change, but it really brings back some of the drama that the green lights sometimes lacked, and also encourages everyone to continue to play through the possession rather than giving up and getting back in transition early.
  • We redesigned “Green” shots to play under different circumstances but they’re still in the game.

MISC.

  • If you’re really good at timing your shot, are open, and have the right badges, you can be serviceable (with a 70 or under 3 ball). But you won’t be raining like last year.
  • There’s still shot fatigue. your shot ratings get hit the lower your energy/stamina meter gets. no meter option will give you slightly larger shot windows and make it easier to green if you know your shot well.
  • Real Player % will not be a valid option for online games in NBA 2K23
  • Real Player % free throws are gone online
  • Pull up jumper, stepbacks, and fadeaways are still very effective, especially in mid-range with Middy Magician and Space Creator.
  • Mike Wang’s favorite thing about NBA 2K23 is the shooting skill gap
  • Stretch bigs can be very effective. 75 3PT might be a little low for most people but if you’re really good with shot timing and take wide open J’s, you can be a threat.
  • Even fully maxed out, field goal %’s should be significantly lower than what you saw in 2K22.
  • A lot of people ask what 3PT rating is needed to be consistent in 2K23. It depends on what you consider “consistent”, your shot selection, and stick skills. But if you plan to shoot a lot of 3’s, I personally would try to go mid to high 80’s at a minimum.
  • If you bite on a pump fake, there’s a cool down timer on landing, during which it’s much easier to get blown by.
  • Mike Wang sets his shot meter option to Pro Stick only, to be able to decide which shots get meters and which don’t.
  • But some of the sweats will probably be able to get by with high 70’s. Either way, be prepared for a tougher shooting year than last year online. At least until you get your ratings up and badges equipped.
  • Losing Adrenaline Boosts doesn’t affect the speed of your shot, but low energy does

FINISHING / DUNKING

  • Dunking received new Pro-Stick enhancements and commands, ensuring players dunk exactly how they want without accidentally firing off an unexpected skill dunk.
  • Driving Dunk rating dictates how easy it is to block dunk attempts. Flashy dunks boost your takeover meter faster than basic ones. Back scratchers, windmills, tomahawks, and other flashy dunks are much harder to block in general.
  • Changes to layup timing. Still takes skill to be good with it, but if you can master it, you can make some really tough layups that you would miss with it off. And you won’t blow wide open bunnies anymore even if your timing is bad.
  • Dunking controls are the same in both gens. But you can only do the physics-based controllable rim hangs in new gen.
  • The round meter is still used for alley-oops but it’s bigger and easier to “read”.
  • You won’t get the dunk meter ever with the Shot Button. you only get it when you use Down>Down or Up>Down on the Pro Stick. It was intentional last year that you’d get the meter when holding the left stick down when dunking with the Shot Button. That’s gone.
  • The left and right dunk commands flip for lefties
  • Flex on the Rim: For dunking, the metered skill dunks from NBA 2K22 (ability to force difficult dunks in traffic with a timed shot meter) return, but the new commands allow us to expand the dunking controls to let you dunk exactly how you want without accidentally firing off a skill dunk you weren’t expecting. When driving to the basket with the Sprint trigger held, the new Pro Stick control map for dunks is as follows:
    • UP = Two-Hand
    •  RIGHT = Strong Hand
    •  LEFT = Weak Hand
    •  DOWN = Rim Hang
    •  UP-UP = Flashy Two-Hand
    •  DOWN-UP = Flashy One-Hand
    •  UP-DOWN = Normal Skill Dunk with meter
    •  DOWN-DOWN = Rim Hang Skill Dunk with meter
  • You now have control over rim hangs. For New Gen, we’ve taken that control to an all-new level with physics-based simulated rim hangs.
  • You’ll hang indefinitely as long as you keep the trigger held, and you can use the Left Stick to adjust the momentum of your swinging body and the Right Stick to pull yourself up on the rim. This is all done through a physical simulation, as opposed to canned animations. But watch out for techs if you hang too long in NBA games.
  • For the bigger/stronger players, you’ll also experience a lot of new contact layup content.
  • Added several new layup packages for both New Gen and Current Gen, including Devin Booker, Joel Embiid, Allen Iverson, Magic Johnson, Nikola Jokic, Zach LaVine, Ja Morant, Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, and more.
  • Hop steps and euros are much more useful
  • A distinct improvement in ball security for good dunkers, and much more
  • Made some changes to encourage good dunkers to use a greater repertoire of dunk packages. Feel the reward of highlight-reel dunks with significant Takeover boosts in the right situations without fear of always getting the ball knocked out on the way up.
  • You’ll have a way higher ceiling with layup timing on. Also if you’re making a slasher, you might want to practice skill dunks. You can do a lot of damage if you get good at both those things.
  • Mike Wang’s second favorite thing about NBA 2K23 are the controllable rim hangs on new gen.
  • Mike Wang’s favorite layup packages are Michael Jordan, Devin Booker, Zach LaVine, and Magic Johnson.
  • Can’t turn off layup timing. Mike Wang says they’ll get there one day but doesn’t think the community is ready for that yet – at least, not with the current mechanics.
  • From all of our internal and external playtesting sessions, I’m pretty confident that interior paint mashing is dead. If there’s still an exploit there, we’ll patch it.

DRIBBLING

ADRENALINE BOOSTS

  • A new feature to prevent overdribbling is the concept of Adrenaline Boosts.
  • Boosts are consumed every time a player performs a hard go or explosive sprint launch, and once their three boosts are gone, players will notice their speed and acceleration decrease significantly for the remainder of the possession.
  • The three available boosts per player, per possession, are shown as three small bars under the stamina meter.
  • Adrenaline Boosts are restored on shot clock resets. Your boosts will be refilled completely on either offense or defense with possession changes. Also toying with the idea of slowly replenishing 1 or 2 if you slow down and wait long enough.
  • Energy will deplete much quicker when doing too many moves together, so it’s important to be efficient and not “play with your food” too long.
  • An empty stamina bar will smack down your ratings. If you still have Adrenaline Boosts available you’ll get your normal explosive launches but they’ll be slower than if your stamina bar was full. Empty Adrenaline Boosts feel way slower than empty stamina though.
  • Adrenaline Boosts are on both gens
  • For Adrenaline Boosts, you won’t lose boosts in the backcourt, which should help PGs beat the press. When you run out of boosts, if you pass and wait off-ball for a few seconds, you’ll get one boost back. regen timer only counts when your energy bar is 50% full or more.

PRO-STICK ENHANCEMENTS & CONTROLS

  • New Gesture Combos have been added to the Pro Stick and give players even more ball handling and shooting options for their offensive arsenal.
  • For dribble moves, you quickly flick RS, let it go back to center and quickly flick again. For shots, you flick RS, let it go back to center, then quickly move and hold it. You can either double throw in the same direction twice, or one way and then the opposite.
  • Switchback gestures will now perform dedicated signature double cross and hesi (hesitation) cross combo moves that you can assign as part of the Moving Crossover signature package—which has grown from 15 options to 28.
  • Learning the speed of your stick throws and the timing of your signature animations is especially important now.
  • You can chain your player’s normal signature size-ups by rocking the Pro Stick back and forth rhythmically. Rapid double throws will give you the aforementioned new combos. And flicking the Pro Stick back and forth repeatedly will give you a whole different set of animations called Signature Combos that look incredible.
  • New “Attacking Size-ups” provide a lot more side-to-side movement and are much better at forcing the defense to drop and shift, allowing you to bait them one way and then attack the other.
  • The core of dribbling is still intact. The new pro stick gestures (double throws) just gave us the ability to add some new combo moves to the game. It will feel familiar to you when transitioning from 22, but will find some new moves to add to your arsenal as you experiment.
  • Ankle Breaker animations are more effective this year

POST OFFENSE

  • NBA 2K23 for post players, Shimmy fades and hooks are controlled by double throws too. And dropsteps and post hop shots can be done by double throwing the Pro Stick in the same direction.
  • For post players, double throws can be used for post drop steps and hop shots. Switchback gestures will give you shimmy shots and hooks.
  • There are a bunch of new signature post shots and hooks to choose from this year as well.
  • Post shots correlate to the distance you’re shooting them from… so post fades from the low block will use Close, deep fades will use Mid/3PT, etc.

PASSING

  • Pass speeds are tied to the Pass Accuracy rating. Must have for playmakers.
  • Football throw full-court heaves are back
  • The Lead to Basket pass makes its return to New Gen so that it works the same way as Current Gen, allowing you to simply press and hold Y/TRIANGLE to get your receiver to cut to the basket and release the button to throw the pass.
  • Another alternative is the new Spot Up pass mechanic. If you press and hold B/CIRCLE, the receiver you’re pointing at with the left stick will perform a quick V or flare cut to get open on the perimeter.
  • MyPLAYERs can also equip a signature passing style to mimic some of the best floor generals of all time, including Steph Curry, Magic Johnson, Jason Williams, LeBron James, and more.
  • “Pass Target Openness” setting has been removed for online

DEFENSE

DEFENSIVE GAMEPLAY

  • Every phase of our defensive game has improved
  • Defense remains a huge priority for the gameplay team
  • Defensive gameplay includes major updates aimed at creating more realistic on-ball defense and shot blocking, as well as steals and ball strips.
  • Blocks have been tuned to a more realistic level, leading to more predictable outcomes, with the right players making appropriate stops when timing their block attempts well.
  • From Nextmaker feedback, we’re also going to support boosts on defense. Steal and block attempts will cost a boost. When you use up your Defensive Boosts, you’ll get a drop in your steal and block ratings.
  • No auto steals
  • Shot defense received a nice overhaul for NBA 2K23. Up until last year, we used a simple shot defense calculation that looked at two specific points: the location of the defender when the shot started and the proximity to the ball at release. It worked well, but also had its shortcomings. If the defender’s hand or arm moved slightly into a bad position, right at the point of our shot release calculation, you could get a bad coverage score even though it looked like a very good contest.
  • Created a system that evaluates the defensive player’s contesting hand throughout a window of the shooting motion. This larger sample set provides way more accurate results and helps line up the coverage numbers to what players expect based on what they see happening on-screen.
  • Users can no longer call a timeout in the middle of a steal animation

ON-BALL DEFENSE

  • On-ball defensive movement and body ups received a major refresh with new content that more accurately depicts today’s 1-on-1 player interactions.
  • New Defensive Shading indicator on the ball handler when in guarding position. The three bars on the indicator represent three zones: Straight up, Shade left, and Shade right. The zone the defender’s in is shown in red. If the ball handler attempts to attack a red lane, they’ll get cut off, lose their dribble, or fumble the ball. Great defenders can anticipate where the ball handler is attacking and will now be more clearly rewarded for it.
  • The shading system works for both on-ball defenders guarding the perimeter as well as the post and does a good job communicating to both the offense and defense why collisions resolve the way they do.
  • The contest system is pretty different from both 20 and 21. What the game considers Open vs. Yellow vs. Red contests is somewhat similar to how it’s been in the past. But shot windows narrow much quicker in the yellow range.

SHOT BLOCKING

  • Shot blocking has been refined quite a bit this year as well
  • or NBA 2K23, blocks have been tuned to a more realistic level, leading to much more predictable outcomes, with the right players making appropriate stops when timing their block attempts well.
  • No more small guards pulling off LeBron James-level chase-down blocks like last year.
  • The shot blocking system also now contains “fly-by” blocks. When closing out late on perimeter shooters, the fly-by’s will do a better job trying to get a hand up while preventing defenders from slamming into the shooter and sending them to the line.

STEALS & BALL STRIPS

  • Ball strips are new and improved this year with tons of new content and better coverage.
  • So if you’re a smaller defender, quick hands can be just as effective in slowing down slashers and bigs in the paint as a good shot blocker.
  • Added failed strip contact layups to make sure defender’s steal inputs are respected instead of getting ignored.
  • When the ball does get knocked loose by a block or steal, you’ll see greatly improved sideline awareness during scramble plays. Pickups near the out of bounds lines are much more reliable, as are diving ball saves that throw the ball back in play.

BADGES

  • Moved to a new tiered badge system. There are 16 badges per attribute category: eight in Tier 1, four in Tier 2, and four in Tier 3. Tier 1 badges are the least powerful for your player, but also cost the least amount of badge points. Costs go up as you climb the tiers and acquire the more impactful badges. The basic idea is that you’ll need to equip a certain number of badges in the lower tiers before you can equip badges in the highest.

  • NBA 2K23 Badges Guide
  • The motive behind this change was to encourage players to make some tough choices when creating their badge recipes, make loadouts more valuable as a feature, and bring a better overall balance to the badge game in general.
  • Along with the tiers, we’re also introducing “Core” badges, which are four unique badge slots (one in each attribute category) that can be filled with badges that don’t count toward your badge points.
  • Every Badge has an associated challenge (eg. a shooting badge might require X number of made 3’s.) When completed you can slot that badge into a core slot which won’t count toward your badge points.
  • Badges are still Bronze, Silver, Gold, and HOF
  • Killer Combos is a new badge that basically encompasses the functionality of Tight Handles and Quick Chain Badges
  • Intimidator Badge is gone. The equivalent for NBA 2K23 is Anchor. For perimeter contests, there’s a new Challenger badge.
  • Mismatch Expert was moved into playmaking. It helps smaller ball handlers blow by taller defenders easier.
  • Claymore works by NOT having the ball. It’s for floor-spacing sharps spotting up for 3.
  • Grace Under Pressure Badge got rolled up into Masher Badge
  • Most, if not all, of the returning badges have been re-tuned or reworked in some way. If something was OP in 22, don’t assume it will be again in NBA 2K23 also. Some of the weaker badges were buffed also.
  • Gym Rat Badge (+4 to physicals) and accessory boosts return just like 2K22. But other than that, the caps you set in the builder are what determine your animation unlocks and badges.

New & Removed Badges in NBA 2K23

FINISHING

  • Slithery – Makes it easier to gather through traffic, avoiding collisions and strips
  • Masher – Increases ability to finish inside layups over defenders
  • Aerial Wizard – Ability to successfully complete alley–oops and putbacks
  • Bully – Like Giannis and LeBron, able to finish strong by bulldozing through traffic
  • Removed: Hook Specialist

SHOOTING

  • Agent 3 – Ability to hit difficult 3PT shots off the dribble
  • Middy Magician – Improved ability to knock down mid-range jumpers off the bounce or out of the post like MJ
  • Amped – Reduces the shooting attribute penalties when fatigued and when moving excessively prior to shooting
  • Claymore – Increases a spot up shooter’s ability to knock down catch and shoot jumpers the longer they remain stationary prior to shooting
  • Comeback Kid – Improved ability to shoot perimeter jumpers when trailing in a game
  • Hand Down Man Down – Makes an outside shooter even deadlier if opponent fails to get a hand in the face
  • Space Creator – Formerly a Playmaking badge, it now boosts the ability to hit stepback jumpers and hop shots, and also will cause defenders to stumble more often
  • Limitless Range – An old favorite returns, making shooters more effective with any shot attempt from deep 3PT range
  • Removed: Chef, Hot Zone Hunter, Lucky #7, Mismatch Expert (moved to playmaking), Set Shooter, Sniper, and Limitless Spot-Up

PLAYMAKING

  • Killer Combos – Improves a dribbler’s effectiveness with size-up dribble moves (basically a combination of last year’s Quick Chain and Tight Handles badges)
  • Clamp Breaker – Helps ball handlers win more 1-on-1 body bump confrontations (the counter to Clamps)
  • Vice Grip – Improves ball security immediately after securing a rebound, catch, or picking up the ball. Great badge for bigs!
  • Mismatch Expert – Formerly a shooting badge, this badge now helps smaller guards break down taller defenders when mismatched 1-on-1
  • Removed: Bullet Passer, Downhill, Glue Hands, Stop & Go

DEFENSE/REBOUNDING

  • Anchor – A crucial badge for last line of defense bigs, improves ability to block and contest shots in the paint
  • Boxout Beast – Helps rebounders win boxout battles on both offensive and defensive rebounding situations
  • Work Horse – The Pat Bev badge that boosts your ability to hustle down 50/50 balls and play hard-nosed defense without getting tired
  • Glove – Named after legendary defender Gary Payton, helps you strip players as they gather for shots and poke the ball free from ball handlers
  • Challenger – Improves the effectiveness of perimeter shot contests
  • Removed: Defensive Leader, Intimidator

TAKEOVER

  • Takeovers are special abilities you can equip on your MyPLAYER that you can activate after building up your Takeover meters. Basically, like getting hot in real life.
  • While the primary and secondary Takeovers remain the same from previous games, Team Takeover has been redesigned.
  • Team Takeover works as a cooperative team system with the entire team sharing a single meter. The new design makes a lot more sense and does a better job representing what it means to be hot as a team and to take over the game as a unit.
  • Double Takeovers added for current gen
  • Team Takeover works the same whether your teammates are user or CPU controlled. They need to fill their share of the meter just like humans. Note the new design is new gen only. Last-gen works the same as 2K22, still archetype-based and not broken up into abilities
  • Takeover is tuned differently this year but the core of the system is the same. Ratings drop if you go cold, ratings rise as you get warm, and you get an extra boost when in Takeover. Takeover perks are returning also. Biggest change is the new Team Take design.

MyPLAYER BUILDER & BUILDS

  • This year, the major goals for the Player Builder were refinement, polish, and balance
  • You still have complete control to build any type of player you want, but the new builder ensures that all builds, regardless of size or specialty, are fun and balanced.
  • The 5v5 environment used last year to test work-in-progress player builds, is also now accompanied by a 3v3 environment.
  • Build’s Animation purchases will now be account-bound rather than specific to one save file. In other words, if you purchase an animation for your playshot build, it will then be available to equip on your slasher build, assuming your player meets all the animation’s requirements.
  • Current Gen users are no longer limited by the pie chart build system from the last couple years as it’s been replaced with the more robust Player Builder that New Gen uses.
  • The current gen builder was built off of 2K22’s next gen builder.
  • Gym Rat Badge (+4 to physicals) and accessory boosts return just like 2K22. But other than that, the caps you set in the builder are what determine your animation unlocks and badges.
  • Won’t lose 99 OVR
  • You can still make oversized PG’s, but you have to be 6’4″ to get the “small” guard animations.
  • The highest ball handle requirement will be 92 for Curry and Trae’s sigs. Some other players were pulled up to 90 also (Dame, Kyrie, and others.)
  • Early will usually favor the bigs. Lots of bricks are gonna go up which means lots of easy boards and putbacks. But once people get some reps in and their ratings/badges up, it’ll even out pretty quick. Slashers should have a good year too.

CITY / GOAT BOAT / PRO-AM / REC

  • Park, The Stage, Pro-Am have their own slider set, but closest to Hall of Fame difficulty. The Rec is closer to Superstar difficulty.

A.I.

  • The AI team worked hard on improving AI defensive rotations, transition, and pick & roll defense to name a few. They also adjust dynamically to scheme against high scorers.
  • PS5 and Xbox Series X|S players will notice improved AI ball handling, pick and roll execution, defensive tendencies, and coaching decisions.

OFFENSIVE IMPROVEMENTS

  • The first thing we wanted to address this year was how the offensive AI uses its dribble move arsenal to attack. The goal was to make the AI more aggressive in setting up its moves, and more deliberate with what moves it used based on different situations.
  • Enhanced the AI’s ability to understand the defender’s positioning using the new defensive shading system we previously talked about. AI ball handlers will better assess the situation and then dip into their arsenal of moves to make the most appropriate attack. They now understand how to set up the defender, read the defender’s counter, and then attack openings with appropriate combos based on their move set and tendencies.
  • In order to make the AI attack more effective, we knew we had to mix up the timing of the AI’s drive attempts. To do this, we engineered the AI to prefer the earliest attack opening, or what we call, first move attack priority. If given the opportunity, the AI will attack quickly after a single move or before a move is even performed. However, if a user remains in great guarding position, the AI will continue to set up with single and double moves to try and create an opening.
  • In addition to making the AI ball handlers attack more intelligently, we also wanted to make sure they replicated their real life counterparts authentically. So, we built a brand new signature AI attack system that allows us to assign all of the stars a dynamic signature attack package that contains up to four signature combinations. Each single combination can contain up to 4 single move sets or two combo move sets. We can even create variations that allow for AI move progression.
  • For example, we can combine Kevin Durant’s between the legs cross, with a between the legs cross and step back. With early move priority, these moves won’t be scripted. He can launch and attack after the between the legs as a single move, or launch after the between the legs cross. If the user is still in great guarding position, he can decide to attack with any of the other combos in his attack package or just pull up for a shot. It’s a very powerful system that we can dynamically update throughout the season, and ensures that our AI is never predictable in its one-on-one game.
  • The next major improvement is the AI’s execution of the pick and roll. For NBA 2K23, the roll man understands how to keep a spacing relationship with the ball handler and can vary their roll path to the rim, based on the ball and how they’re being defended. To complement this, the AI passer has also been given a much better understanding of open vs. covered passing lanes, alley-oop opportunities, and lob pass opportunities over the top of the defense. You will have to check up on scorers coming off ball screens in this year’s game. The AI is acutely aware of what shots are available based on defensive coverage, so you’ll see AI scorers use a variety of reads to score on the pick and roll.
  • On the coaching side of things, dynamic game-plans give us flexibility in how the AI chooses to scheme their offenses from one game to the next. AI coaches will track efficiency by looking at points per possession for play types, freelance pick and roll, freelance post, and freelance isolation actions. They’ll also track mismatch attempts for isolation and post, as well as mid-range and three-point shooting possessions.
  • Instead of pre-determining between a team’s top scorers and who should get the lion’s share of the offensive possessions, the AI coach performs pre-game matchup evaluations, adding more weight to the player with the better matchup. It can also dynamically change weights as the game goes on based on efficiency for each scorer on the floor. If LeBron James has the better matchup and is scoring well, the game-plan will dive deeper and add more weight to the plays he’s most successful with. On the flip side, the AI will also adjust if their primary scorer is struggling. So, if LeBron is having an off night, you’ll see the 2nd and 3rd scoring options get more plays run for them.

DEFENSIVE IMPROVEMENTS

  • Last year, we built and re-wrote almost all of our major defensive systems. This year was all about refining them to deliver our best effort to date. Every phase of our defensive game has improved.
  • From transition defense, where we can identify when the ball handler has been picked up, allowing the anchor to leave the paint and get to their man, to making the “NO THREES” setting work as intended.
  • Rotations are sharper and more varied; pick and roll defense is tighter and smarter; and this year, players can choose to turn off drive, pick and roll.
  • Improved cutter help individually as well to have more control over their Defensive Focus settings.
  • Features performance-based defensive adjustments. In the past we knew how many points and assists the leading scorers had on offense and would make adjustments based on that information. However, the adjustments the AI made had to be generic because it wasn’t obvious how a given player racked up that scoring and assist total. This year our refactored success and action engine can track exactly how scorers are doing their damage. This engine can decipher post-scoring, off-screen actions, isolations and whether or not players are getting buckets at the rim. It can detect spot-up shots vs. players who like to come down and fire up long distance threes after a few dribble moves. Each of these scenarios have their own defensive adjustments that the AI will automatically roll out depending on how efficiently the scorers are making shots. As a user, with our adaptive engine turned on, these adjustments will automatically be made for you. But if you choose, you can also make your own adjustments using the defensive settings.
  • The defensive AI is stingier with sending help until we know the opponent can actually take advantage of a particular opening. So at the beginning of games, you may notice drastically less help as your teammates wait to see if your opponent can actually take advantage of an open lane compared to last year. Of course, you’re free to turn off the auto adjustments and make your teammates help right from the jump if that’s the way you want to run your defense.
  • On-ball defenders are less “psychic” and defend in a more human way
  • So far all the feedback from play tests have been that defense is favored over offense

MISC.

  • The new “Take Foul” NBA rule will be in the game
  • Huge improvement in save-ball reliability compared to previous years

NBA 2K23 is set to release on September 9 for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC platforms.

Track the latest NBA 2K23 info with the NBA 2K23 News Tracker here.

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