THIS IS WHERE IT ALL STARTS - LEVELS OF PLAY
- Exhibition: Play a single game - take a single shot at greatness.
- Season: Take your team all the way to a title.
- Playoffs: Skip the season and go straight for the crown.
- Load Game: Pick up where you left off last time.
- Options: Set up the game for the way you want to play.
REAL-TIME COACHING
Keep your game tight by using the Real-Time Coaching feature to call plays or change your strategy during the game without breaking the action.
GET A STRATEGY: COACHING YOUR TEAM
Setting Your Lineup: If you want to select a group of players quickly, you can assign them to one of six specialty lineups: Starting, Defensive, Fast, Big, 3-Point, or Rebounding.
Making a Substitution: No matter how tight your star player's game is, he can last only so long. When he gets fatigued, it's time to bench him.
DESIGNATING MATCHUPS
As the coach, you can control who guards which opponent, set the amount of pressure, and determine when to call for a double-team.
ASSIGNING PLAYS FOR REAL-TIME COACHING
In NBA Inside Drive 2002, you have more than two dozen plays to choose from. The trick, however, is picking the right play for the situation. The plays are organized by type into groups called playsets. The name of the playset will help you know when to use the plays in that group. For instance, 3-Point Plays will help you get off a good three-point shot. Likewise, Post Plays are ideal for getting the ball to your big man down in the key, and so on. Each team will have four plays already assigned to the D-pad, but you can change these assignments. There are two ways to change the play assignments: from the Coaching menu before the game begins or from the Pause Menu during the game.
PLAY YOUR OWN WAY
Each team has its own default playbook that is filled with plays similar to the ones used by the real NBA team. Once you've customized a playbook, it will be saved to your User Profile the next time you save, and your personalized playbook will be used for all the teams. If you want to revert back to the default playbooks, press X on the Playbook screen.
PERFORMING DEKES
One of the best ways to school your opponent is to throw 'em off with some fancy footwork. Note: There are two ways to perform a deke, depending on the Right Thumbstick setting.
GET YOUR GAME ON: STARTING A SEASON
Using the Fantasy Draft: If you really want to start your season from scratch, set the Fantasy Draft option to Yes. This will let you go through twelve draft rounds, trying to get your hands on the sickest ballers in the League. If you're not sure who to pick, press X to get a hint. Or, once you've gotten your first picks out of the way, press Y to have the rest of the draft automatically completed for you.
ASSEMBLE YOUR DREAM TEAM
Use the Edit Teams feature to pick exactly who you want on your team, without all the hassle of having to negotiate trades. Note: The Fantasy Draft option is available on the Gameplay Settings screen only after you enter Season mode. It will not appear on the Gameplay Settings screen if you make any other selection from the Main Menu.
GLOSSARY
- 3 Pointer: A shot made from beyond the 3-point line. It is worth three points instead of the usual two points.
- Alley-oop: A pass that is thrown toward the basket, then caughtin midair and put into the basket by a teammate before he touches the ground again.
- Arm bar: To place your forearm on the back of an opponent to prevent him from overpowering you.
- Assist: A pass that immediately results in the teammate scoring.
- Back down: To position your body against a defender, with your back to the basket, in an effort to get close to the basket before making a shot.
- Block: To knock the ball away from the basket, preventing an opponent from scoring.
- Box out: To position your body between an opponent and the basket in an effort to get into a better position for a rebound.
- Charging: An offensive foul in which the player with the ball runs into a stationary defensive player.
- Clutch: A player who is reliable under pressure.
- Crossover: A dribble in which the ball is passed from one hand to the other. Also called "rocking the baby."
- Defense: The team without the ball. They try to prevent the opposing team from scoring.
- Deke: A clever dribbling or body-fake move used to get past a defender.
- Double-team: To have two players guarding a single opponent.
- Dunk: To throw the ball directly down through the basket.
- Free throw: A shot made from the foul line after a foul has been
- called. Also called a "foul shot."
- Foul: A rules violation that involves a player coming into direct physical contact with an opponent.
- Hand check: An offensive foul in which the defender tries to prevent his opponent from scoring by keeping a hand on him.
- Intentional foul: A foul committed on purpose.
- Lane: The rectangular area below the basket on either end of the court that is painted a different color. Also called the "key" or "paint."
- Offense: The team with the ball. They try to score.
- Pass: To give the ball to a teammate.
- Play: An organized plan for a team to follow.
- Playbook: A grouping of all the plays a single team may use.
- Post up: To position your body against a defender, with your back to the basket, in an effort to get into a good position to receive a pass.
- Rock: The basketball.
- Rebound: To get control of the ball after a missed shot.
- Screen: To position yourself between a teammate and the opponent guarding him in an effort to let your teammate make a shot. Also called a "pick."
- Steal: To take the ball from an opponent.
- Strafe: To move side to side.
- Turbo: A quick burst of speed.
- Turnover: To let the opposing team get control of the ball before you attempt to make a shot.