NBA Live 09 IGN Insiders Guide

Introduction

It's that time again. It's a busy time of year for sports fans. It's still
early in the NFL season, the MLB World Series is about to begin,
and of course, the NBA preseason is in full swing. EA Sports has
returned with their latest installment in the NBA Live series. EA has
stripped the game of a lot of the silly moves and has gotten back to
basics. Good basketball fundamentals are what this game is all
about. With so much effort put into NBA Jam-style dunks a lot of
folks have forgotten how to do the basics, like pick-and-roll. Need
not fear, IGN is here with new tips and strategies to help you out on
offense, defense, as well as a team-by-team analysis, which will
prepare you for dynasty run.

In this NBA Live 09 strategy guide, you'll find:

BASICS

// A breakdown of the basics of NBA Live play.

OFFENSE

// Offensive tips for NBA Live rookies.

DEFENSE

// Defensive strategies to improve your game.

TEAMS

// Tips and info on every team in the NBA.

FAQ

// Answers to some very frequently asked questions.

Guide by: Jim Chamberlin

Page 1

NBA Live 09 Basics

With so many game modes in NBA Live 09, it may be a little overwhelming to those of you who are new, so we'll be
offering a brief description of each one to help you out.

Play Now

This mode is more or less a quick match or exhibition game mode. You're given two
teams (home and away) and you can change them to whatever team you want. In
addition to the regular league teams, you can also choose from All Star teams as well
as international teams.

NBA Live Academy

Complete progressively harder challenges to test your NBA Live skills, or work on
your team game in team practice.

Play Online

Very much like the play now mode, the play online mode is an exhibition game, but
requires you to connect to the Internet. This will give you the ability to play against
people from around the world.

Dynasty Mode

Always looked forward to, the dynasty mode gives you twenty five years to take a
team of your choosing to the NBA Finals. Put on your general manager cap and see if
you wheel and deal and make your team a championship contender.

Be A Pro

Take control of your favorite player and rank up a score based on your skill and
position.

Page 2

FIBA World
Championship

Compete in an eight-team tournament with any of the top international teams in the
world or and NBA teams.

NBA All Star Weekend

This part of the NBA season is geared directly for the fans. You'll be able to compete
in various challenges including the Rookie Challenge, 3 Point Shootout, Slam Dunk
Contest, and NBA All Star Game.

Quick Pick Play

Play a Play Now game with any ten players on any two teams. Basically, you can
create your own Dream Team for a single game.

Scenario Play

Create your own scenario or select a random scenario to play to see if you can
control the outcome your way.

Page 3

NBA Live 09 Offense

In this section, we will be covering the basics of an effective offense in NBA Live 09.

Know Your Players

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Before you can win a championship, you need to have a firm understanding of what your team is capable of. This is
not limited to your starting five, of course. Look at the attribute ratings each of your players have in shooting and
passing, for instance. Your center probably has pretty poor ratings for perimeter shooting, so try and keep him down
by the basket whenever possible. On the same token, your point guard probably won't be a great dunker, so feed
the ball to your big man in the paint.

Practice Shooting

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Before getting right into the game, practice your shooting in the gym. Get a feeling for the controls and understand
how the shooting system works. You want to release the ball at the highest point of your jump. Releasing it too early
or too late will increase the odds of you missing your shot. Once you think you've gotten this under control, go
ahead and play a regular game. Shooting with no one defending you is one thing, but it's completely different to
have someone trying to either steal the ball or has his hand up in your grill.

In NBA Live 09, you have a much more immersive practice environment thanks to the NBA Academy. Sure, you
can just pick up a ball and shoot around, but there are several practice modes spread across the court. To find one,
go to one of the coaches standing along the baseline when you are on the court. Each coach offers a different set of
practice sessions. Work on these and you'll do just fine.

Take It To The Hole

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The defense won't often give you an open lane to the rim, but when it does, take advantage of it. Regardless of the
size of the player, they can all either do a dunk or a layup of some kind. Taller players will be able to do big dunks,
while good shooting guards will be able to pull off flashier dunks and/or layups. Driving the ball down the lane not
only allows you to pull off a high percentage shot, but it increases the odds of you getting fouled and getting to the
free throw line, occasionally giving you the opportunity for a three point play. You can also get the opposing team
into foul trouble when you drive to the basket often enough.

Page 4

Over the years, this and other basic basketball plays have been forgotten when it comes to basketball video games.
Thankfully, there's more of an emphasis on it this year and has made calling for a pick and roll very easy.

The basic concept is for one of your opponents to come up and stand to the side of the guy who is guarding you. You
run to the backside of your teammate, who sets a screen, preventing your defender from guarding you, leaving you open
to either a jumper or possibly a drive to the hoop.

Depending on how long you hold the pick and roll button, it will change your opponent's movement. If you hold it for just
a second or two, he'll slip to the basket and will usually be open for an easy bucket in the paint. However, if you hold the
button for a few seconds longer, your teammate will step out after setting the pick and will be open for a jumper from the
12-16 foot range. We strongly recommend working on this play more so than just about any other special play because
it's so easy to do and can be difficult to defend.

John Stockton and Karl Malone of the Utah Jazz famously used the pick and roll to get their team to the NBA Finals in
the 1990s and there's no reason it can't work for you.

Pick-and-Roll, Baby!

Don't Dribble Into A Crowd

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The CPU often does a very good job at clogging the lane to the rim. It doesn't matter which player you're using,
you'll eventually have the ball stolen from. Instead of always driving the ball to the hoop, pass it to someone who is
open or pull up for a jumper.

Kick It Out For a Three

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Whether you're playing against the CPU or a human player, they will usually play some pretty stingy defense in the
paint. Because of this, throw it in to your big man. As the defense swarms him, toss it out to your perimeter shooter
for an open shot. We've found this to work remarkably well on teams which have good guards and small forwards
who can shoot threes.

Page 5

NBA Live 09 Defense

In this section, we will be covering the basics of an effective defense in NBA Live 09.

Hit The Boards

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When you miss a shot, don't give up. Keep your center and power forward near the rim when possible. Grabbing
rebounds isn't particularly easy. It relies very much on positioning and timing. You have to time your jump properly.
Work on your rebounding to get second chance points, something every team needs. The NBA Academy features a
practice session which specializes in this very thing.

Know Your Opponents

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Although you obviously cannot study film of your opponents, you can research the attribute points of your
opponents. Look to see what each player can do well and what they're terrible at. For instance, Shaq can be a big
threat when he's got the ball near the hoop, but he's terrible shooting free throws. This is why many teams have
used the "hack a Shaq" method of defense during certain parts of the game. Study your team's strengths and
weaknesses, and you won't be surprised in a game.

Clog Up The Paint

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When you're on offense, you'll often see that the CPU has defenders in the paint, making inside passes and drives
to the hole a little more problematic. Why not do the same? You'll cause similar problems for the CPU's offense.
Just be sure to keep defenders on their man, so as not to allow open shots on the perimeter.

Tip

Don't stay in the lane too long, or you'll be called for an illegal defense.

Take It Like A Man

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Whether you're clogging up the paint or guarding someone on the perimeter, you will eventually encounter a player
who has decided to drive to the basket. Get in front of him, plant your feet, and take a charge. Charges can
sometimes change the momentum of a game.

Keep Your Hands Up

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Whether your defending an in-bound pass or simply defending a player, keep your hands up. This will cut down on
the number of passing lanes available to your opponent, possibly causing them to throw an errand pass. Typically,
we'll control the guards on the team. They often pass the ball to the big men, enticing us to chase after it, but we try
to stay to the outside to close off passing lanes, forcing their big men to do something with the ball other than pass
it. If they have to put the ball on the ground, it's easier to steal the ball from one of them than from one of their sure-
handed guards.

Page 6

One of the most enjoyable plays on defense is stuffing a guy's dunk or layup attempt. Such a play can not only lead to a
fast break, but it can be the start of a big shift in momentum. While it's possible to block a shot from behind, you'll be far
more successful if your primary shot blocker is in front of the shooter. Try to be as close to the shooter as possible. If
he's been able to get a cushion between the two of you, he'll likely be able to get the shot off and over your outstretched
arms. As the player goes up for a shot, make your leap upward. Timing is very important. Although it's quite easy to
move towards the shooter as he's shooting, keep your hands off of the player movement control. Lunging at the shooter
in mid air may very well cause in a foul.

Be patient and study the move and time your jump properly, and you'll be stuffing players left and right. We recommend
working on this in the NBA Academy. Defending the fast break is a very good mode to use in the academy. It gives you
the opportunity to defend against multiple shooters while in the paint.

Stop the Pick and Roll

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The CPU teams call a lot of pick-and-rolls. Keep an eye out for a man setting up for a screen and quickly get around
him. If you get tangled up with him, don't worry about it. A few times a game isn't out of the ordinary and won't hurt
your chances of winning by very much. There aren't many ways of getting around the screener, so do whatever you
can to avoid getting called for a foul.

Just... Take It

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Some of the best defenders in the NBA don't wait for the point guard, for instance, to make a bad pass. He'll
actually create opportunities for himself by reaching in and taking the ball away. Don't be afraid to reach in and steal
the ball. Your steals won't likely take place when you and the ball handler are standing still. Instead, you'll likely get
the ball if you time your steal attempt(s) when the ball handler is attempting to make a move, perhaps in a pick and
roll, for instance. The refs won't call a foul for every steal attempt, but they will call it on occasion, so don't go crazy
with it. After you've got the ball, you've got a great fast break opportunity, so take it to the hole.

Stuff It

Hit The Boards

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Whether on offense or defense, grabbing rebounds are a key to winning. If you want to win, don't rely on the CPU to
rebound for you. Keep your center and power forward near the rim when possible. Grabbing rebounds isn't
particularly easy. It relies very much on positioning and timing. You have to time your jump properly, so jump just as
the ball bounces and hits the rim. Again, practice in the NBA Academy; they have a mode set up specifically for this
sort of thing.

Page 7

NBA Live 09 Teams

This section of the guide covers each of the regular NBA teams. You'll find team strengths and weaknesses discussed
below, along with a list of the starters. It's important to keep in mind that this information is based on the starting lineups
in the game. These are subject to change.

Celtics general manager Danny Ainge worked his
magic two off-seasons ago, bringing in veterans
Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to compliment Paul
Pierce's talent. It wasn't long before Boston was
winning game after game last season, to no surprise

East

Atlantic Division

Boston Celtics

New Jersey Nets

New York Knicks

Philadelphia 76ers

Toronto Raptors

Central Division

Chicago Bulls

Cleveland Cavaliers

Detroit Pistons

Indiana Pacers

Milwaukee Bucks

Southeast Division

Atlanta Hawks

Charlotte Bobcats

Miami Heat

Orlando Magic

Washington Wizards

West

Northwest Division

Denver Nuggets

Minnesota Timberwolves

Portland Trailblazers

Oklahoma City Thunder

Utah Jazz

Pacific Division

Golden State Warriors

Los Angeles Clippers

Los Angeles Lakers

Phoenix Suns

Sacramento Kings

Southwest Division

Dallas Mavericks

Houston Rockets

Memphis Grizzlies

New Orleans Hornets

San Antonio Spurs

Boston Celtics

Starters

POSITION

PLAYER

OVR RATING

K. Perkins

K. Garnett

P. Pierce

R. Allen

R. Rondo

TEAM COACH

Doc Rivers

TEAM OVR RATING

'07 - '08 RECORD

66-16

Page 8

to us. We recognized the moves were significant and as we would later learn, bring another NBA championship to
Boston.

Although there weren't many changes made this past off-season, the Celtics are looking very good. They still have a
very solid core with Garnett, Pierce, and Allen. Perkins and Rondo may not have the impressive ratings in NBA Live that
the big three do, but they fill out Boston's starting lineup very nicely.

Should you choose the Boston Celtics as your Dynasty team, you should be able to repeat as champions. They clearly
have all of the tools, whether it be scoring, defense, or bench depth. You shouldn't need to make any big changes during
your immediate taking over of the team, but keep an eye on your team salary. This team is expensive to put together.

The New Jersey Nets traded away one of the best
players in the league during this offseason when
they sent Richard Jefferson to Milwaukee for Yi
Jianlian and Bobby Simmons. One would think this
would be a bad move, but the Nets look to capitalize
on a fairly strong team. Vince Carter is arguably their only star player, but he's surrounded by young talent. Josh Boone
and Yi Jianlian make a very strong front-court duo and have plenty of depth at these positions on the bench. Speaking of
which, there will be a lot of eyes on their first-round pick Brook Lopez, from Standford.

This year's team has a lot of new faces, but that isn't a bad thing. We would feel very comfortable choosing them in a
Dynasty. New Jersey has a very solid team and should be a contender if they mesh well together.

Ah, yes, the New York Knicks. The recent
incarnations of the Knicks have been less than
impressive. Just what happened to this franchise?
Was it merely Isiah Thomas' doing? Despite the fact
that the Knicks have been a miserable team to
watch recently, the team is loaded with talent and most NBA Live players should be able to succeed with this team.
Italian born Danilo Gallinari should bring a spark to the team should you decide to bring him off the bench and Chris
Duhon is a very talented starting point guard capable of hitting the triples. They team is a little lacking on defense, so
you will have to work on that.

New Jersey Nets

Starters

POSITION

PLAYER

OVR RATING

J. Boone

Y. Jianlian

B. Simmons

V. Carter

D. Harris

TEAM COACH

Lawrence Frank

TEAM OVR RATING

'07 - '08 RECORD

34-48

New York Knicks

Starters

POSITION

PLAYER

OVR RATING

E. Curry

Z. Randolph

J. Jeffries

J. Crawford

C. Duhon

TEAM COACH

Mike D'Antoni

TEAM OVR RATING

]71

'07 - '08 RECORD

22-59

Page 9

Everybody talked about the work done by the
Boston Celtics last season in acquiring great talent.
Well, the 76ers are getting the same talk this year
thanks to several key acquisitions to help bolster the
team's roster. Of course, much of that talk is
centered on the addition of Elton Brand, one of the league's premier big men.

With a team ready for the run-and-gun style of offense, the addition of Brand will give Philadelphia more options for their
offense, whether it be pick-and-rolls or an excellent post player. Philly's biggest problem is the lack of quality perimeter
shooting. If you could pick up a shooter, we would recommend it.

The Raptors made a big improvement in their front-
court this season when they acquired Jermaine
O'Neal from the Portland Trailblazers. It required
giving up multiple players to get him, but it was
worth it. Between O'Neal and Bosh, the Raptors are
about as good as it gets in the front-court.

Their guards aren't anything to joke about either. Parker and Calderon are a great backcourt, made even better when
Jason Kapono comes off the bench. In 2007, Kapono became the NBA's most accurate 3-point shooter All-Time, so the
Raptors have at least one fine shooter on their team.

After being bounced from the playoffs early last season, the Raptors are almost guaranteed a shot this year as long as
injuries are kept at bay.

Philadelphia 76ers

Starters

POSITION

PLAYER

OVR RATING

S. Dalembert

E. Brand

A. Iguodala

W. Green

A. Miller

TEAM COACH

Maurice Cheeks

TEAM OVR RATING

]80

'07 - '08 RECORD

40-42

Toronto Raptors

Starters

POSITION

PLAYER

OVR RATING

J. O'Neal

C. Bosh

J. Moon

A. Parker

J. Calderon

TEAM COACH

Sam Mitchell

TEAM OVR RATING

'07 - '08 RECORD

41-41

Page 10

The Chicago Bulls had a pretty predictable draft
when they selected Derrick Rose as the number one
pick. He's a very talented young man, much like
most of the other guards on the team. What they're
really lacking is a superior big man. They don't have
a big guy to post up and rebound. They're a very one-dimensional team on offense, relying on jump shots. Should you
take Chicago in Dynasty, look into acquiring a big man within the next few seasons.

The addition of Maurice "Mo" Williams during the
off-season will be a big boost to the Cavs this year.
Cleveland has had a good team since LeBron
joined, but they've yet to put together a contending
team roster. They're almost there now that Williams
was traded from the Bucks. And of course, you have LeBron on your team. If you can't win with this guy, you need to sell
your copy of NBA Live and go back to competitive semi-pro woodcarving.

Chicago Bulls

Starters

POSITION

PLAYER

OVR RATING

T. Thomas

D. Gooden

D. Deng

L. Hughes

K. Hinrich

TEAM COACH

Vinny Del Negro

TEAM OVR RATING

'07 - '08 RECORD

33-49

Cleveland Cavaliers

Starters

POSITION

PLAYER

OVR RATING

Z. Ilgauskas

B. Wallace

L. James

W. Szczerbiak

D. Gibson

TEAM COACH

Mike Brown

TEAM OVR RATING

'07 - '08 RECORD

45-37

Page 11

The Pistons have what we would consider to be one
of the more solid starting fives, depending on who
you have starting at center and power forward.
Maxiell could probably be benched for Antonio
McDyess. Detroit has a phenomenal backcourt in
Billups and Hamilton. Any NBA Live rookie can take Detroit to the finals and win.

The Pacers remind us of the Chicago Bulls in that
they have solid guards but powerhouse at center
now that Jermaine O'Neal was dealt to Toronto.
They have some veteran players for the position as
well as a rookie in 7'2" Roy Hibbert, but the Pacers
are lacking a big man who can post up effectively. Indiana will remain in rebuilding mode until you're able to bring in a
talented big man to dominate the paint.

Detroit Pistons

Starters

POSITION

PLAYER

OVR RATING

J. Maxiell

R. Wallace

T. Prince

R. Hamilton

C. Billups

TEAM COACH

Michael Curry

TEAM OVR RATING

'07 - '08 RECORD

59-23

Indiana Pacers

Starters

POSITION

PLAYER

OVR RATING

J. Foster

T. Murphy

D. Granger

M. Dunleavy

TJ Ford

TEAM COACH

Jim O'Brien

TEAM OVR RATING

'07 - '08 RECORD

36-46

Page 12

The Milwaukee Bucks have turned their roster
upside down during this past offseason, making
numerous changes. Their greatest addition is
Richard Jefferson. With Jefferson and Redd, the
Bucks are sure to have a very effective one-two
punch. They'll account for 40-50 points a night between the two of them.

Despite the offensive punch with Redd and Jefferson, the Bucks have a week defense. Sure, Bogut is big and talented,
but he's not the most consistent defender in all the land. The same goes for the rest of the Bucks' big men. Should you
take Milwaukee as your team in Dynasty, the Bucks will be an average team until someone else is brought in for center
or power forward. You may consider dealing Bogut at some point due to his large contract.

Don't underestimate the Hawks. They haven't had a
great deal of success in recent years, but have a
relatively solid starting five. They have a veteran
point guard in Mike Bibby, a very athletic Josh
Smith, and one of the best shooters in Joe Johnson.
All that being said, Atlanta lacks quality backup players. Should any of the starting five go down to injury, they could be
in trouble. However, if they remain healthy, the Hawks look to be on their way to being a playoff team in a year or two.

Milwaukee Bucks

Starters

POSITION

PLAYER

OVR RATING

D. Gadzuric

A. Bogut

R. Jefferson

M. Redd

M. Williams

TEAM COACH

Scott Skiles

TEAM OVR RATING

'07 - '08 RECORD

26-56

Atlanta Hawks

Starters

POSITION

PLAYER

OVR RATING

A. Horford

J. Smith

M. Williams

J. Johnson

M. Bibby

TEAM COACH

Mike Woodson

TEAM OVR RATING

'07 - '08 RECORD

37-45

Page 13

One of the team's greatest strengths is the shooting
ability of their young players. The team is loaded
with superb outside shooting from Richardson and
Felton to Wallace and Morrison.

The Bobcats are another one of those teams that could really benefit from a solid center. Okafur is a very good power
forward, but he isn't enough of a presence in the paint to bring this team to the playoffs.

The Miami Heat had one of the more embarrassing
seasons last year and now has a much better team
thanks to the drafting of Michael Beasley. It's always
a gamble to rely on a rookie, but Beasley looks like
he is capable of providing the Heat with a scoring
presence at power forward. Marion and Wade are well-known quantities; they'll bring a lot of offensive firepower to the
team, but there's still some concern about Wade's health. His career in recent years hasn't been what it was due to
injury.

Sure, the Heat will be a much improved team this year, but they don't have a shot of making it to the finals without even
a decent center to provide post scoring and shot blocking.

Charlotte Bobcats

Starters

POSITION

PLAYER

OVR RATING

N. Mohammed

E. Okafur

G. Wallace

J. Richardson

R. Felton

TEAM COACH

Larry Brown

TEAM OVR RATING

'07 - '08 RECORD

32-50

Miami Heat

Starters

POSITION

PLAYER

OVR RATING

M. Blount

M. Beasley

S. Marion

D. Wade

M. Banks

TEAM COACH

Erik Spoelstra

TEAM OVR RATING

'07 - '08 RECORD

15-67

Page 14

Orlando can be a lot of fun to play with. They have
superior shooters and one of the most explosive
centers in the game in Dwight Howard. Orlando is
definitely a team which will make it to the playoffs
this year, but could benefit from some development
in the front court, namely their backups at that position.

The Wizards are a very talented team, but injuries
look like they will keep the team from succeeding.
It's uncertain if Gilbert Arenas, a flashy young
player, will ever play a full season in the rest of his
career at this point in time.

A healthy Wizards team, on the other hand, would be tough to beat.

Orlando Magic

Starters

POSITION

PLAYER

OVR RATING

D. Howard

R. Lewis

H. Turkoglu

M. Pietrus

J. Nelson

TEAM COACH

Stan Van Gundy

TEAM OVR RATING

'07 - '08 RECORD

52-30

Washington Wizards

Starters

POSITION

PLAYER

OVR RATING

B. Haywood

A. Jamison

C. Butler

D. Stevenson

G. Arenas

TEAM COACH

Eddie Jordan

TEAM OVR RATING

'07 - '08 RECORD

43-39

Page 15

Of all the teams in the league we've played around
with thus far, we've used the Nuggets the most and
find them to have a much better team than we
suspected. With Carmelo Anthony and Allen
Iverson, the team has a solid one-two offensive
punch. We've found JR Smith to be a good shooter, but neither he nor anyone else on the team is a great three-point
shooter. Nene and Martin are a better defensive team down near the basket than we expected. Using zone defense, we
found them to be very good at times, blocking a few shots a game.

The Minnesota Timberwolves have been in
rebuilding mode ever since they traded Kevin
Garnett, not that they were every really a contender
in the first place, mind you. They made a
controversial trade for Kevin Love, getting rid of OJ
Mayo. A lot of experts thought it was a bad move, but it's too late to change that now.

Along with getting Kevin Love, the T-Wolves also got a great scorer in Mike Miller. Averaging 16.4 points and 6.7
rebounds a game, Miller is one of the more versatile players on the team and is sure to give Minnesota some help. The
Timberwolves look to be able to score points, but they still don't have great defenders. Should you take Minnesota, bring
in some defensive-minded players or this team will never see the playoffs.

Denver Nuggets

Starters

POSITION

PLAYER

OVR RATING

Nene

K. Martin

C. Anthony

A. Iverson

C. Atkins

TEAM COACH

George Karl

TEAM OVR RATING

'07 - '08 RECORD

50-32

Minnesota Timberwolves

Starters

POSITION

PLAYER

OVR RATING

A. Jefferson

K. Love

M. Miller

R. Foye

S. Telfair

TEAM COACH

Randy Wittman

TEAM OVR RATING

'07 - '08 RECORD

22-60

Page 16

Despite drafting Russell Westbrook from UCLA, the
Thunder (formerly the Seattle Supersonics) don't
appear to be any closer to becoming a contender.
It's especially true due to their being in the highly
competitive Western Conference.

Oklahoma City's team is primarily comprised of young, talented players who will improve over time, but don't have the
defensive skills to match what they can do on offense. Bringing in veteran Joe Smith for power forward backup was
smart, but he hasn't been a significant contributor to a team in several years.

Much like the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Portland
Trail Blazers are a very young team. Greg Oden
looks like he could very well be the best great big
man to be drafted in the last few years, but only time
will tell if his body will hold up after his knee injury a
year ago. It will take several years and numerous roster changes in order to make Portland a contender. We consider
this another rebuilding team, in need of some TLC for a few years.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Starters

POSITION

PLAYER

OVR RATING

N. Collison

C. Wilcox

J. Green

K. Durant

R. Westbrook

TEAM COACH

P. J. Carlesimo

TEAM OVR RATING

'07 - '08 RECORD

20-62

Portalnd Trail Blazer

Starters

POSITION

PLAYER

OVR RATING

G. Oden

L. Albridge

M. Webster

B. Roy

S. Blake

TEAM COACH

Nate McMillan

TEAM OVR RATING

'07 - '08 RECORD

41-41

Page 17

One should never count out the Utah Jazz. They
play in the tough Western Conference but have the
talent to contend with the Suns, Lakers, and Spurs.
They have a solid starting five with the exception of
their shooting guard. Brewer's an average player
with Kyle Korver backing him up. Korver's not proven himself to be ready to start, but no one can question his ability to
knock down the three-ball.

The Jazz are very close to making it to the finals again. We just don't see it happening without sending Brewer packing.

As soon as Warriors fans update their roster, they're
going to lose Mota Ellis due to his little moped
incident. This will really hurt the Warriors' chances
of a playoff run. They're a solid team now that they
have scorer Corey Maggette on the roster. The
team led the league last year with over 111 points a game, but their defense let them down and kept them from success.

Utah Jazz

Starters

POSITION

PLAYER

OVR RATING

M. Okur

C. Boozer

A. Kirilenko

R. Brewer

D. Williams

TEAM COACH

Jerry Sloan

TEAM OVR RATING

'07 - '08 RECORD

54-28

Golden State Warriors

Starters

POSITION

PLAYER

OVR RATING

A. Biedrins

A. Harrington

C. Maggette

S. Jackson

M. Ellis

TEAM COACH

Don Nelson

TEAM OVR RATING

'07 - '08 RECORD

48-34

Page 18

The Clippers never really get any respect and for
good reason, of course. The team is on the right
track this year when they bolstered their lineup
thanks to a number of moves in the offseason. They
lost some guys, but they also picked up Marcus
Camby and Baron Davis. With Camby and Kaman near the glass, the Clippers will have a strong interior defense. And
on offense, Baron Davis is a fine scorer. He's capable of putting up more than 20 points a night if he remains healthy.

The Clippers simply need another big weapon on offense if they're going to compete in the wild Western Conference.
They're outmatched in a lot of positions.

If any team's offseason could be described as
boring, it would have to be the Lakers. It was a
rather uneventful time, but there isn't really a need
to change things. The Lakers made it to the finals
last season and we don't see why an NBA Live
rookie couldn't do the same with this team. You really can't go wrong with this team. A rookie GM could coast to the
playoffs, making no changes whatsoever to this team. The Lakers are truly a powerhouse in the NBA right now.

Los Angeles Clippers

Starters

POSITION

PLAYER

OVR RATING

C. Kaman

M. Camby

A. Thornton

C. Mobley

B. Davis

TEAM COACH

Mike Dunleavy, Sr.

TEAM OVR RATING

'07 - '08 RECORD

23-59

Los Angeles Lakers

Starters

POSITION

PLAYER

OVR RATING

A. Bynum

P. Gasol

L. Odom

K. Bryant

D. Fisher

TEAM COACH

Phil Jackson

TEAM OVR RATING

'07 - '08 RECORD

57-25

Page 19

The Phoenix Suns find themselves with a new
coach in Terry Porter, but still have a very solid
starting five. Shaq and Amare are a strong force
near the basket and have a great young power
forward/center to back them up on the bench in
Robin Lopez from Stanford.

Anyone who chooses the Suns for their dynasty will have success, but if you choose the team, you're going to have to
prepare for Shaq's eventual departure. He's old, a little slow, and expensive.

As soon as the roster gets updated, Kings fans will
find Ron Artest headed for Houston. They'll end up
with a nice point guard in Bobby Jackson, but the
Kings could use some help at power forward and
small forward. They're not strong in either position.
This looks to be another building year for the Kings. They're not ready to compete just yet.

Phoenix Suns

Starters

POSITION

PLAYER

OVR RATING

S. O'Neal

A. Stoudemire

R. Bell

L. Barbosa

S. Nash

TEAM COACH

Terry Porter

TEAM OVR RATING

'07 - '08 RECORD

55-27

Sacramento Kings

Starters

POSITION

PLAYER

OVR RATING

B. Miller

M. Moore

R. Artest

K. Martin

B. Udrih

TEAM COACH

Reggie Theus

TEAM OVR RATING

'07 - '08 RECORD

38-44

Page 20

Dallas rarely makes any monumental moves in the
off-season, and if you were to look at last year's
roster, you'd see it's pretty much the same. Don't
overlook the trade for DeSagana Diop, though. Diop
may not start, but he's one of the better post
defenders in the league and will be a nice substitute for Dampier.

Dallas is in a very tough division, but we believe most Live players can take this team to the finals.

The Houston Rockets acquired Ron Artest during
the offseason, so it'll take a roster update for him to
appear in NBA Live. Artest may come with some
baggage, but he can play ball. With Battier injured,
the Rockets will finally have someone to turn to as
another option to Ming/McGrady who are inconsistent at times. Defensively, Artest is a force to be reckoned with. We
suspect the Rockets will do exceptionally well this year as long as injuries remain at bay.

Dallas Mavericks

Starters

POSITION

PLAYER

OVR RATING

E. Dampier

D. Nowitzki

J. Howard

J. Terry

J. Kidd

TEAM COACH

Rick Carlisle

TEAM OVR RATING

'07 - '08 RECORD

51-31

Houston Rockets

Starters

POSITION

PLAYER

OVR RATING

Y. Ming

L. Scola

S. Battier

T. McGrady

R. Alston

TEAM COACH

Rick Adelman

TEAM OVR RATING

'07 - '08 RECORD

55-27

Page 21

The Grizzlies remind us of the Tampa Bay Rays of a
few years ago: a young, talented team with plenty of
upside. Warrick will probably be benched for
promising young center Marc Gasol upon a roster
update. OJ Mayo and Mike Conley will make for a
heck of a backcourt. They're great now but will only get better over time. We suspect Memphis will be playoff-bound in
just a few seasons.

The Hornets appear slated for another excellent
season with Chris Paul running the point. He's a
very special talent. The Hornets could have some
issues should Chandler or West go down with injury;
a quality backup should be sought out for them.
New Orleans made a smart move by acquiring James Posey. He's very athletic and can defend multiple positions. He
should turn out to be an excellent sixth man.

Mephis Grizzlies

Starters

POSITION

PLAYER

OVR RATING

D. Milicic

H. Warrick

R. Gay

OJ Mayo

M. Conley

TEAM COACH

Marc Iavaroni

TEAM OVR RATING

'07 - '08 RECORD

22-60

New Orleans Hornets

Starters

POSITION

PLAYER

OVR RATING

T. Chandler

D. West

P. Stojakovic

M. Peterson

C. Paul

TEAM COACH

Byron Scott

TEAM OVR RATING

'07 - '08 RECORD

56-26

Page 22

Year in and year out, the Spurs have one of the best
rosters in all of the NBA, but last year got their you
know what handed to them by the Lakers in the
Western Conference Finals. San Antonio has a lot
of talent. They have good shooters and playmakers
with Parker and Ginobili. Duncan is Duncan. However, they are severely lacking a quality second big man for the paint.

Spurs players don't need to spend every available dollar for a superstar center, but just about anyone should be able to
find someone better than Fabricio Oberto to start at center. He's just not good enough to bring the Spurs over the top
and bring home a championship.

San Antonio Spurs

Starters

POSITION

PLAYER

OVR RATING

F. Oberto

T. Duncan

B. Bowen

M. Ginobili

T. Parker

TEAM COACH

Gregg Popovich

TEAM OVR RATING

'07 - '08 RECORD

56-26

Page 23

NBA Live 09 Frequently Asked Questions

This brief FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) will cover some of the more commonly asked questions in regards to NBA
Live 09. Should you have a question that isn't answered in this section or any other section of this guide, you can turn to
our

NBA Live message board

to ask the regulars for help.

Q :: Are there any legends in the game?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A :: No, you won't find Michael Jordan or any other NBA legend in the game. It's expensive to get the rights to
former NBA players' names.

Q :: How can I improve my free throws?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A :: This year's free throw system is made much easier than in some other years. For the Xbox 360, press and hold
down B until you're in the green area of the meter and let go. If you miss the green, you'll likely miss the free throw.
This is just a matter of practice.

Q :: My game freezes on me. Is there anything I can do to fix it?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A :: Aside from possibly being a defective copy, there isn't much you can do. There may be a patch for the game
one day, but that's up to EA to work on. Send them a bug report.

Q :: In Dynasty mode, how to I improve my training staff?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A :: You need to earn points by completing goals set by the team's owner. Which goals you have to complete
depend on which direction you decide to take the team, which is an option when you first select the team.

Q :: How do you practice in Dynasty?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A :: Strangely enough, it appears to be a random event. There aren't weekly practices or a manual way of entering
the academy to improve your players.

Q :: In the NBA Live Arcade mode, there's a Sprite machine that asks for a code. Where can I find these
codes?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A :: You'll probably find them under the caps of bottles of Sprite. The codes allegedly unlock "Super Dunks" but as
of this publication, we don't have any to offer. For future reference, however, check out our cheats site at
http://cheats.ign.com

Page 24