Basics

Play Now
The selection above the Game Modes selection, this allows you to play an exhibition game between another player or the computer. Make sure you scout the teams on the team select screen before you move on to get a sense of exactly what you're getting yourself into. After team select, you'll be able to hook up both teams with any throwbacks you may have unlocked at the Store. Then it's time to ball!

Play Online
Head here to play the game online (PS2 and Xbox).

Season
If you don't want the commitment of Dynasty in your life, opt for Season Mode. It allows you to take your NBA squad through an entire NBA campaign, from the opening tip to the finality of... well, of the Finals. Of course, you'll be able to completely tweak your experience before it even begins. Run a Fantasy Draft to mix up the team composition, make a Custom league and seed the divisions yourself, and even set the length of the season: either 29, 58 or 82 games. You can even set whether or not simming will yield injuries, the length of time sim games are (in order to make stats comparable), and how the playoff format shakes down. Make sure you set your Simulation settings to "Intervention" to allow you to interrupt games midway through and complete them on your own.

Once a Season begins, you'll have full reign over the GM's duties. Simply go to the GM's desk to check stats, see upcoming matchups, read NBA news and keep up on NBA Honors like MVP Candidates and Players of the Month. Use Roster Management to set your lineup, trade and sign players, check on injuries, and create custom players for your squad.

Dynasty Mode 
Dynasty Mode is for the diehards out there--the guys and gals who like to play at being a GM over the course of several seasons and try to build an NBA powerhouse. For tips on whipping your team into shape for the long haul, take a peep at the Dynasty section of this guide.

Playoffs
If you want all the thrill of an NBA Championship run, but don't want to work that hard, this is the mode for you. It allows you to customize and play your very own NBA postseason. This Mode allows you to determine what branch of the Playoffs you'll start in, or you can choose to customize the kind of playoffs you're running. You can also choose a Fantasy Draft for Playoffs, so turn that option to Yes if you want to draft before playing.

1 On 1
In this mode, you'll be able to select All-Stars from years past, present athletes and international sensations to compete against one another in this mode. Every one-on-one rule you can think of is selectable here, and you can also choose to play in any of the jerseys you've unlocked.

Slam Dunk School
This is an absolutely essential stop on the journey if you want to compete in the Slam Dunk Contest on All-Star Weekend. Watch the tutorial, then do the practice selection right below it. If you go into the dunk portion of the game without heading here first, you're going to be in a world of hurt. Practice up before hitting the court, and you'll dominate!

Individual Practice
Heading to Practice is a good idea if you are having a hard time getting used to the controls. It allows you to practice with one player in an empty gym. Use this mode to familiarize yourself with the new controls and for shot touch. This is especially useful when trying to find range and touch for threes. Select whatever player you need to work out with (including free agents), then head to the gym.

NBA All-Star Weekend 
This is a completely new feature for this year's effort. Included in the weekend are the following events: Rookie Challenge, 3 Point Shootout, Slam Dunk Contest, and NBA All-Star Game. Visit the All-Star Weekend segment of this guide for tips on all of them.

Freestyle Showdown 
Taking the things you've learned preparing for or playing All-Star Weekend, this mode allows you to go head-to-head in either Slam Dunk or 3 Point Showdowns. In this mode, you'll compete side-by-side against another player in those challenges. Basically, the same skills you learned from the All-Star Weekend portion of this guide will apply.

My NBA Live

Hall of Fame
As it did last year, Live allows you to take a look inside the trophy case. From this screen, you can view Team Awards, including Conference and NBA Championships, individual Player Awards, Team and NBA all-time records, and even check out the Retired Jerseys that have accrued during your Dynasty's tenure.

EA Lounge
Within the EA Lounge, you will be able to do several things:

• EA Sports Freestyle: Learn more about the Freestyle control with two videos at this television.
• NBA Codes: Wanna check a code you've discovered and unlock some goodies for the game?  Here's where you input them.
• Jukebox: Turn your favorite tracks on and off here.

NBA Store
The NBA Store allows you to purchase items in four categories using Points you've earned by completing tasks during gameplay.

• Hardwood Classics: The Hardwood Classics selection will allow you to purchase several jerseys for each NBA team. The categories are split up along division lines, and each squad's jerseys can be viewed by navigating to the right, then scrolling through each style with the D-Pad. Some Classics are only available for use in Practice and One-on-One, and cost less. Others are available for all modes, and are a tad pricier.
• Shoes: From old school Jordans to new school Shox, this is where you'll get your kicks. All of them are Nikes, but there are tons of styles to go around, and you can also navigate to the right and change the color of each pair. Once you purchase shoes, you'll have to go to the Edit Player screen in Roster Management, and select Gear to change Home and Away shoes.
• Gear:  Purchase retro socks and headbands here. 
• Practice Jerseys: Two solid walls of practice jerseys for you to choose from. Enjoy!

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