2k17 Player review thread

[GrimaceZ7]

It probably would have been a good idea to post this earlier in the season, but I thought this would be a good thread to have. I'd be really interested to see everyone's reviews.

Diamond Alex English - I didn't think I was going to lock in this collection, but it was dirt cheap and so I figured I might as well. Honestly, when I saw his defense, I never gave him a second thought and never really even looked at his atts.

He's actually pretty damned good. He's got a very quick, easy release. I can see why they said it was a Melo clone and that his nickname in the game is Melo. It's not the same release, but very similar. He has the same post animations as well, so if you know Melo's post fade, this one is money. I find the most effective fade animation the fake with the outside shoulder and then fade to the inside. So if you're to the right of the paint, fake right and then pull the right stick down and to the left and he'll fade toward the right elbow. The release window on that one is nice and early and it's hard to block.

His athleticism is very impressive. He's very fast (92 speed 95 acceleration 88 speed with ball) for a 6'7" 190lb guy with 88 strength. And that 91 ball control has him handling like a point guard with good quick dribble animations.

He's a very good dunker with very good dunk tendencies. His midrange game is insane. Mediocre rebounder, mediocre defender though his contest tendency and att are good enough that he'll close out on guys if you're off-ball when the shot goes up. He's got a 50 crash tendency - I haven't used him enough to notice that in game yet.

He's not going to make my lineup, but he's fun to play around with. And if you're the kind of psychopath that enjoys Blacktop, he's perfect for it.

[jschmib]

Quote: Originally Posted by GrimaceZ7

It probably would have been a good idea to post this earlier in the season, but I thought this would be a good thread to have. I'd be really interested to see everyone's reviews. Diamond Alex English - I didn't think I was going to lock in this collection, but it was dirt cheap and so I figured I might as well. Honestly, when I saw his defense, I never gave him a second thought and never really even looked at his atts. He's actually pretty damned good. He's got a very quick, easy release. I can see why they said it was a Melo clone and that his nickname in the game is Melo. It's not the same release, but very similar. He has the same post animations as well, so if you know Melo's post fade, this one is money. I find the most effective fade animation the fake with the outside shoulder and then fade to the inside. So if you're to the right of the paint, fake right and then pull the right stick down and to the left and he'll fade toward the right elbow. The release window on that one is nice and early and it's hard to block. His athleticism is very impressive. He's very fast (92 speed 95 acceleration 88 speed with ball) for a 6'7" 190lb guy with 88 strength. And that 91 ball control has him handling like a point guard with good quick dribble animations. He's a very good dunker with very good dunk tendencies. His midrange game is insane. Mediocre rebounder, mediocre defender though his contest tendency and att are good enough that he'll close out on guys if you're off-ball when the shot goes up. He's got a 50 crash tendency - I haven't used him enough to notice that in game yet. He's not going to make my lineup, but he's fun to play around with. And if you're the kind of psychopath that enjoys Blacktop, he's perfect for it.

I am that psychopath. I love running players like sapphire Marjanovic and bullying the living hell out of people because 90% of the time, they don't have anyone who can defend my 293lb serbian beast. Blacktop is less stressful for me if I need a break from intense full games. Plus it's honestly the best way to farm MT if you always win. Half my reward picks are those 175, 500 or even 1,000 MT cards. Gold shoes pop up pretty often as well.

If he really is dirt cheap I might pick up this English. I've noticed that players with high speed and acceleration are easy to play on-ball defense with, even if their ratings are sub-par.

He might be worth playing at SG.

[GrimaceZ7]

Quote: Originally Posted by jschmib

I am that psychopath. I love running players like sapphire Marjanovic and bullying the living hell out of people because 90% of the time, they don't have anyone who can defend my 293lb serbian beast. Blacktop is less stressful for me if I need a break from intense full games. Plus it's honestly the best way to farm MT if you always win. Half my reward picks are those 175, 500 or even 1,000 MT cards. Gold shoes pop up pretty often as well. If he really is dirt cheap I might pick up this English. I've noticed that players with high speed and acceleration are easy to play on-ball defense with, even if their ratings are sub-par. He might be worth playing at SG.

Has the new patch changed Blacktop? When I used to play, I would dominate the post and then they would shoot threes and I would have to shoot threes to try to keep up. Then I'd lose. If jumpers and threes are unreliable now and the post game is more important, I might enjoy beating up on some fools.

[harryl]

Even if conversion rate is realistic for twos, the basic math requires you to convert ones at twice the rate, so Ones and Twos will always favor twos in Blacktop.

But if you're really good at clamping down on outside looks and oppomemt isn't incredible at timing, then maybe living in the paint is viable.

[jschmib]

Quote: Originally Posted by harryl

Even if conversion rate is realistic for twos, the basic math requires you to convert ones at twice the rate, so Ones and Twos will always favor twos in Blacktop. But if you're really good at clamping down on outside looks and oppomemt isn't incredible at timing, then maybe living in the paint is viable.

Unless your opponent gets lucky and pulls a team that can all shoot lights out, it's very viable. I win 90% of my games when I play off-ball defense on their weakest shooter and just camp in the paint (no defensive 3 second violation!), then on offense post the living **** out of them with Nurkic or Marjanovic (no offensive 3 second violations either muahahaha). Either drop-step or post-spin. It must be absolutely humiliating to get destroyed by someone who looks like a cave troll lmao.

You do have to keep an eye out for that ****ty automatic help defense that leaves people wide open for three's, but honestly it's not that hard. Defending 3 people is a lot easier for me than defending 5.

Slashers are also incredible in blacktop. Players like David Thompson, Reggie Lewis, Amy Kobe, Eddie Jones, Paul Pierce with a SWB shoe are all basically guaranteed wins if you play them right.

Another thing that's IMMENSELY fun in blacktop (and honestly in full games) is doing "katana" lobs. I will be eternally grateful to Sam Pham for showing me how to do this with very clear instructions here: https://youtu.be/lmMSf_2zlek?t=4m57s. I've never seen anyone talk about them on these forums, but if you find yourself getting bored of blacktop I guarantee this will start to make it fun. I've had games where literally 15/15 points were from lobs. It's honestly ridiculous how well it works once you get it down. I sometimes even forego calling the screen and just pass to one of my guys down low, let him hold the ball, and then toss it up whenever the player I'm controlling gets near the basket. It leads to incredibly exciting and cheesy moments like this: https://youtu.be/PZDWIAhyF3g?t=13s

Nothing is more satisfying and erection-producing than ending a game with a lob. And if you have any players with HOF Lob City Finisher, the cheese is multiplied by a factor of 69. Lobs like this are commonplace for my Stoudamire, Kenyon Martin and Deandre in blacktop: https://youtu.be/hVpiUAuaCSk

This one made me laugh out loud: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUvfBNcwFBs

Also, I honestly have no idea if the 3pt patch has affected blacktop. I've been playing blacktop since this game came out and I haven't noticed much of a change, but I could be wrong.

[harryl]

Quote: Originally Posted by jschmib

Another thing that's IMMENSELY fun in blacktop (and honestly in full games) is doing "katana" lobs. I will be eternally grateful to Sam Pham for showing me how to do this with very clear instructions here: https://youtu.be/lmMSf_2zlek?t=4m57s. I've never seen anyone talk about them on these forums, but if you find yourself getting bored of blacktop I guarantee this will start to make it fun. I've had games where literally 15/15 points were from lobs. It's honestly ridiculous how well it works once you get it down. I sometimes even forego calling the screen and just pass to one of my guys down low, let him hold the ball, and then toss it up whenever the player I'm controlling gets near the basket. It leads to incredibly exciting and cheesy moments like this: https://youtu.be/PZDWIAhyF3g?t=13s

Yeah, lobs in general, in Blacktop, seem to be OP if you know how to generate the opportunities and execute them well. I think it's Spaceward Bird who is constantly just Lob City all the time in Blacktop.

One quibble: can we all agree to not play along with this "Katana" nonsense? It's a "Give and Go."

And the Give & Go lob is a nice weapon...I, unfortunately, find it really hard to do well, because it requires a different grip on the controller than I normally use, in order to hold down Pass and then double-tap Lob.

[GrimaceZ7]

Quote: Originally Posted by harryl

One quibble: can we all agree to not play along with this "Katana" nonsense? It's a "Give and Go."

I think we just became best friends.

Quote: Originally Posted by harryl

And the Give & Go lob is a nice weapon...I, unfortunately, find it really hard to do well, because it requires a different grip on the controller than I normally use, in order to hold down Pass and then double-tap Lob.

SCUF should send you a commission check, because you just sold me on buying a SCUF controller.

[GrimaceZ7]

I think people are sleeping on this Mark Aguirre card. I re-bought him on my main account about a week ago and started using him with my Ruby squad as someone to run my offense through for a challenge. He's so automatic that I now use him as my sole non-Ruby in MTO (and my team is still a 98 overall).

I put a silver speed/accel shoe on him and it made a huge difference. Now he's actually kind of explosive. Nobody has been able to stop his post game. With his animations and atts, it's seriously like having a post up center at the 3. He's a strong dunker, gobbles up rebounds (oddly enough), and his defense is better than his atts would suggest.

I'm averaging 21 points per game with him, along with 1.4 rebounds, 2 assists and 1.2 steals.

He's a poor man's Worthy, and the perfect backup to Worthy if you like your backups and starters to play the same style like I do.