NLSC Podcast

The preview season for NBA 2K26 is officially underway, and so this week, we join the community in reacting to the cover players and designs for every edition of NBA 2K26. We also give our thoughts on the preliminary features list and First Look screenshots, and discuss the seven-year extension of Take-Two's licensing agreement with the NBA that was signed back in 2019 and will thus be up for rene...

Not long after we finished recording last week's show, EA Sports announced that they will be returning to the virtual hardwood with a new college basketball game, coming in 2028 at the earliest! This week, we join the community in reacting to the news, from rating our excitement level to discussing the things that we want and need to see in a new hoops title from EA. The post NLSC Podcast #587: Th...

There's untapped potential for the virtual hardwood and blacktop in the indie gaming space. To that end, this week we discuss The Dunkers, a 2D indie basketball title that's currently available in Early Access on Steam. We also once again touch on the possibility of a new basketball game from EA Sports, unaware that a big announcement was in fact on the horizon! The post NLSC Podcast #586: The Dun...

With the preview season for NBA 2K26 now looming on the horizon, what are we hoping to see in the next sim basketball game from 2K Sports? This week, we join the community in discussing our Wishlists for NBA 2K26, from improvements to the gameplay, mechanics, and controls, to additions and enhancements to the modes, content, presentation, and other aspects of the game. The post NLSC Podcast #585:...

Controversy is overshadowing the 2025 NBA Finals following Game 4, which leads us to ask: is the NBA rigged? This week, we join the community in discussing our thoughts on the matter, and to what extent the league may manipulate results, both today and in the past. We also discuss how talking heads - particularly Stephen A. Smith and Kendrick Perkins - are finding ways to draw attention away from...

With only a few games left before the Larry O'Brien trophy is hoisted once more, we're inclined to share some thoughts on the year that was in the NBA! This week, we join the community in discussing our level of interest in the 2025 NBA Finals, and how we'd rate the 2025 season overall. We also touch on whether or not parity is a good thing for the league, and Mike Breen's approach to his most fam...

With the 2025 NBA season rapidly drawing to a close, how will we be spending our Summer (or Winter) on the virtual hardwood? This week, we join the community in discussing the basketball video games that we plan to play and mod in the coming months, if and how the offseason impacts our basketball gaming habits, and some of the other titles that will likely be in our rotations. The post NLSC Podcas...

What are some of the most memorable plays that we've seen in all of our years watching basketball? This week, we join the community in reminiscing about a few of our all-time favourite highlights. Given our favourite teams, players, and eras, some of our choices might just surprise you! We also discuss which game should be featured in the next NLSC Tournament, and take some suggestions from the co...

Which teams have we enjoyed watching and indeed putting on the virtual hardwood throughout all our years of basketball fandom? This week, we join the community in naming our favourite teams from our favourite franchises, our favourite teams from franchises that aren't our chosen clubs, and our favourite bad teams; bad being a relative term in some cases! The post NLSC Podcast #580: Our All-Time Fa...

What are the best lineups that we can assemble using modern NBA players? This week, we fire up NBA 2K25 and run fantasy drafts in MyNBA Eras to craft teams that we believe would be both successful and a lot of fun to play with on the virtual hardwood. We also recap our recent sessions with NBA Live 2000 and NBA 2K13, reflecting on a couple of all-time great releases that still hold up superbly all...

This week, we have community member Ken (aka Stildo33) back on the show! We chat to Ken about his new business venture bringing competitive gaming to kids, his thoughts on NBA 2K25, roster modding techniques and his work on the retro season mods for NBA 2K19, memories of Ultimate Basketball for NES and other old school favourites, how he stays connected to basketball, and his takes on Payton Pritc...

We're taking a quick timeout from the virtual hardwood this week as we join the community in listing and discussing some of the other video games that are currently in our rotations. This includes reflecting on the aspects of those games that are keeping us hooked, while also noting some of the similarities to our basketball gaming habits. We also discuss self-imposed challenges and other new ways...

Although we mostly play NBA and NCAA licensed basketball video games, there have been some classic releases that lack their high profile branding, as well as real teams and players. This week, we join the community in naming some of our all-time favourite unlicensed basketball video games, as well as a handful of titles that only licensed one or two real players, or otherwise didn't have anything...

We recently played NBA 2K9 and NBA Live 09, with a view to starting a co-op season in one or both of them. In addition to recapping those sessions, this week we're comparing and contrasting the 2009 season releases from EA Sports and Visual Concepts, reflecting on how they were both improvements over their predecessors, and discussing the teams we'd potentially like to use in our season. The commu...

The community has some questions, and we've got some answers! This week, it's a Q&A in which we discuss our all-time favourite video games of other genres, preferred strategies on the virtual hardwood, Tom Chambers' Hall of Fame credentials, favourite foods, experiences meeting NBA players, and several other topics that our listeners were keen to get our take on. The post NLSC Podcast #574: Q&A Wi...

The alley-oop is one of the most exciting plays in basketball, and to that point, it's vital that we can expertly throw lobs on the virtual hardwood. This week, we join the community in recalling the best and worst alley-oop mechanics that we've experienced in basketball video games. We also recap our recent co-op sessions with NBA 2K7, NBA Live 95, NBA Street Vol. 2, and NBA Live 06, and reflect...

The seventh generation saw NBA 2K pull ahead of NBA Live - and for good reason - but which 2K titles stand out as the best releases during that run? This week, we join the community in ranking NBA 2K6 through NBA 2K13, discussing the key strengths and weaknesses of each game while sharing some of our personal memories and experiences with them, and reflecting on factors that make games nostalgic....

What are some of the biggest What Ifs in NBA history? This week, we join the community in reflecting on what might have been, from the tragedy of Len Bias to the injuries, trades, and Draft picks that shaped the fortunes of teams and players alike. We also discuss potential Finals matchups and outcomes, a couple of other interesting notes about the 1986 Draft, and some of the international players...

Is nostalgia ruining the NBA? Channing Frye and other talking heads seem to think so, but we have other ideas! This week, we join the community in providing an impassioned rebuttal to yet another asinine talking point that's blatantly intended to dump on the league's history, and the many great players of the past. We also reflect on why so many fans are yearning for a return to the NBA of yestery...

In the wake of another disappointing All-Star Weekend that saw more advertising and extracurricular events than actual basketball, this week we join the community in discussing ways that the NBA can possibly fix their midseason classic. From potential format changes to methods of incentivising players to try harder, we brainstorm different ideas to make All-Star Friday, Saturday, and Sunday worth...

This week, we're reacting to the 2025 Slam Dunk Contest and the suggestion that threepeat champion Mac McClung is the greatest dunker of all-time. Given our disdain for boosts, props, and gimmicks in the contest, we're inclined to disagree! We also join the community in discussing the most frustrating types of players to play with and against in organised leagues and pick-up alike, and recap two g...

This week, we're breaking out the proverbial crystal ball to gaze into the future and discuss what we think NBA 2K - and video games in general - will be like in five years. This includes innovations in gameplay, graphics, and modes, as well as fairness to gamers and the possibility of competition in the space. We also touch on the prospect of a streaming service for games, VR, and some other pred...

The basketball world was shocked by the trade of Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis. Naturally, we have a few thoughts on the deal, and what it means for both teams! Criminally underrated players of the past are also on our minds, so this week, we join the community in naming the ballers who should be talked about more often. Finally, we recap an excellent co-op session with NBA Live 2005 PC, and compa...

How many hours per week are we spending on the virtual hardwood these days, and which modes are holding our attention? This week, we join the community in crunching the numbers and sharing our preferred ways to play, while encouraging everyone to stick to what's the most fun for them! We also discuss which era in NBA history was the deepest in terms of talent, as well as which one boasted the bigg...

Who are the best of the best when it comes to dunking, shooting, shot blocking, stealing the ball, and going one-on-one, both in real life and on the virtual hardwood? This week, we join the community in sharing our picks. We also recap a fun session using a work-in-progress Kobe Era roster for NBA 2K25 PC, and discuss some of the aspects of basketball that video games still struggle to implement...