Hardtop Balling

Few games generate instant bragging rights like NBA STREET Homecourt. Bravado is as much a part of the game as double-dunks and wild alley-oop passes, but in order to earn an unchecked ego, you must win and win consistently. The following tips will help you do just that.

Melo aka Little New York aka the leading NBA point scorer.

Make 'em Miss
There's nothing like breaking ankles on the way to being posterized, but busting tricks for tricks' sake isn't going to get it done. Make sure when you break out your major tricks, it's in the face of your opponent.

If you can make an opponent actively miss, as opposed to simply watching your moves, you'll earn a multiplier (look for them in the upper left hand corner near your Gamebreaker meter). It's these multipliers, more than anything else, that help fill up your Gamebreaker meter.

Knock 'em Down
Nothing humiliates an opponent more than a double-dunk launched from the back of a crouching teammate. What's more, these off-the-back dunks are worth a lot of points, so any time you see an opponent get down on their knees to set up the dunk, run over and tap Y to shove them down.

Show no weakness on the playground.

If you have particularly good timing, you can wait till you see your opponent running towards the crouched teammate, and then tap Y just as they get there. Not only will you knock their teammate over, but you will cause the would-be-dunker to stumble and lose the ball.

Timing the Double
The new double-dunk feature is sweet when perfectly executed. However, on Hard and in online games, the double-dunk meter is removed. Try beginning your career on Medium difficulty in order to get the timing down. That way, when you try the maneuver online, you won't be starting from scratch.

Also, keep in mind that each position requires slightly different timing. The high-flying guards boast more air-time, requiring you to hold the button down longer, whereas centers like Shaq don't fly for nearly as long.

Controlling the Paint
The bulk of scoring in NBA STREET Homecourt is provided via the dunk, so the bulk of your defense should be either blocking the dunk, or knocking the would-be-dunker out of the air. For this, you need a big man. Even if their scoring skills are less than stellar, try to make sure every team you field has at least one mighty shot blocker like Ben Wallace.

Bragging rights coming up.

Avoiding the Block
When you've got a beast in the paint bullying all your dunk attempts, try something new. In order to avoid a blocker leaping to knock you out of the sky, hit B to turn your dunk into a lay up. If you time it right, you can flip the ball over your opponent's block for an easy score.

Shot Opportunity

The traditional jump shots are not emphasized in Homecourt, but that doesn't mean there isn't a place for them. Provided you have a strong shooter like Ray Allen on the team, use fast break opportunities to sink a two point basket.

Make sure that none of your defenders have caught up with you when you take the shot, leaving the sky open. If even a single player is between you and the basket, don't attempt a shot unless your timing is flawless, or look for a handy leaping teammate to convert it into a dunk.

Sticky Fingers
The steal is a much more prominent and viable option in Homecourt than in previous titles. Unlike before, where you just punched X and hoped for the best, timing is now required to steal the ball. Fortunately, this makes it a far more dependable form of defense.

You can steal at any time by pushing Y to shove or X to swipe. To pull off the steal consistently, however, watch your opponent closely. If they attempt a trick with the Y button, use it to knock them off balance and separate them from the ball. If they perform a crossover, swipe with X to take the ball.

Article by Ryan Treit