Net-Working

Electronic Arts' NBA Live 06 commands a large following thanks to its intense courtside confrontations, Freestyle Superstar mechanics, wealth of game modes, and jaw-dropping audiovisual presentation. What's more, the title is also one of those rare gems you can play for months on end, for no matter how many times you boot it up, there's always something new to see.

Interested in improving your ball-handling skills? Learn these useful strategies for getting a jump on both the computer and other armchair athletes.

Shoot Smart
During standard five-on-five games, you actually have two different types of shooting styles to choose from, one for perimeter players and one for the big guys. Hint: Big men have a much smaller window within which to release a perfect shot. Therefore, you have to hold the shot button down much longer than normal to stand a better chance of sinking the ball. Guards don't operate under such strict constraints, and sport a much larger window within which to maneuver, so your press-and-release technique doesn't have to be as measured.

The goal is in sight.

Charging Ahead
Positioning and timing are everything in terms of charging. Start by establishing a good position on the court (read: Hold down a specific spot for a third of a second or so). Then press the charge button. For the most part, it'll yield a favorable result.

Better Blocking
Fine, don't believe us, but according to the game's creators, there's no optimal technique for shot or dunk blocking. In general, players with higher ratings in the category simply perform better. However, timing does count for something. Jump too early or too late, and you either cause a foul or find yourself being dunked on. Bummer.

Steal Strategically
Consider a couple factors when you go to steal. On the one hand, you must consider steal ratings vs. dribble ratings. And, of course, there's also the ball carrier's positioning in relation to the defender to keep in mind. The best technique when it comes to stealing is to wait until your opponent squares their body to your defender before taking a chance at pilfering the ball. Also worth remembering: Don't hammer the steal button too often, or you'll cause the defender to foul.

One monster dunk coming up …

Landing Three-Pointers
The key to racking up three-pointers is to maximize the use of Freestyle Superstars whose skills lie, naturally, in shooting. And, for that matter, to guarantee they're open when making attempts at scoring. You can do this by calling specific plays designed to get defenders off a superstar's back. If athletes aren't open when shots are made, you'll be at a huge disadvantage, and suffer crippling penalties to shot accuracy. But if your superstars are left unguarded when they send the ball soaring towards the net, you can pretty much sit back and watch the points add up.

Playing Strong Position Defense
The best way you can play position defense is by forcing the ball carrier to dribble towards the baseline. There, your teammates can rotate and trap him. Cover the passing lanes with your other team members and recover the rock.

Wire-frame kung-fu gets a streetwise makeover.

Mixing it Up
Even the QA testers—the guys and gals who spend days, weeks, and sometimes months on end playing NBA Live 06 looking for bugs—don't recommend any one move or strategy in particular. (The crew at Electronic Arts has spent so long working on fine-tuning overall game balancing that any trick you can execute has its own potential risks and rewards.)

This being the case, you can officially stop searching now; there's no single shot or dunk that's unstoppable. Rather than stick with a lone technique, which adversaries will easily learn and counter, change up your game plan on the fly to confuse opponents. Should all else fail, you can always try hammering opponents with the behind-the-back lay-up … If nothing else, it's an eye-opener.

There you have it: a few useful tricks to get you started on your way to the finals. Good luck chasing the championship, and don't forget to smile for the camera when you win; the enhanced graphics engine does a fine job of capturing the expression on players' faces.

Article by Chris Zimmerman