Tactics
Tactics
The Tactics menu lets you set your roster, your offensive tactics and your defensive tactics. These settings are used by default for all games, and you can adjust them at any time during a 3D game.
Roster
The roster page allows you to set your default roster. Select a position for each of the players you want in your roster (PG, SG, SF, PF, C, or S for the bench). Players marked X are excluded from the roster. The maximum number of players depends on the competition.
Playing time
For each player, set the number of minutes desired. Your assistant coach will follow it during simulated games (the actual playing time may vary depending on fouls, tiredness or injuries). Make sure that all minutes have been allocated!
Roles
The roles you assign to your players widely influence their attitude on the court:
- Go-to guy (max. 2): the team's leaders on offense. They take many more shots, and teammates will look for them when the shot clock is running out.
- 6th Man (max. 1, bench players only): the first player off the bench, who will take more shots than usual.
- Defense (max. 1): a defensive specialist, who will focus on defense rather than scoring.
Assistant coach
Your assistant coach can select the roster for you: they will pick the best available player at each position, assign roles and allocate minutes. You can also let your assistants automatically choose the rotations during simulated games.
Offensive tactics
Collective instructions
- Starting formation:
- 3 Out - 2 In (default): a balanced offense, with three players on the perimeter and two inside.
- 4 Out - 1 In: opens drives and many shooting opportunities but reduces your impact inside.
- Tempo:
- Patient: your offense plays at a slow tempo.
- Neutral (default).
- Fast: your offense takes the first available shot.
- Shot repartition: Close, Balanced (default) or Far (more 3-point shots).
- Offensive rebounds strategy:
- Limit transitions: most players get back on defense after a shot.
- Neutral (default): two or three players go for the offensive rebound.
- Crash off boards: most players go for the offensive rebound.
Individual instructions
For each player, you can choose to Avoid, allow by Default or let them Shoot at will:
- Mid-range jumpers.
- 3 pointers.
- Shots close to the free throw lane.
- Penetrations.
You can also create your own plays and call them during games. See Play creation.
Defensive tactics
Type of defense
The type of defense is chosen during the game:
- Man-to-Man Half Court: the default basketball defense. Each defender defends on one attacker (usually the center defends on the opposing center, the power forward on the opposing power forward, etc.). When applied with intensity, this defense leaves little space for attacking players.
- Man-to-Man Full Court: the same defense applied on the full court. It may be more effective, but it is very tiring for the players!
- Zone 2-3: a zone defense that is very effective in preventing drives and easy shots close to the basket. It will however leave many outside shots open.
- Zone 3-2: each defender is assigned to an area of the half court. This defense reduces the frequency of 3-point shots in favor of drives and inside shots.
- Zone 1-3-1: the opposing point guard is constantly under high pressure, and it allows many double teams on the ball carrier. Your guards must be very athletic as they have to keep running to and fro.
- Full court zone: a zone press applied on the full court.
Defensive instructions
These instructions can be set for each player:
- Match-up: the opposing player they will defend on.
- On Ball Pressure: Gap, Moderate, Tight or Smother.
- Off Ball Pressure: Gap, Moderate, Tight or Deny Ball.
- On-Ball Screen: how to defend pick and rolls (Automatic, Go Over, Go Under, Switch All, Switch Bigs, Switch Guards).
- Off-Ball Screen: Automatic, Switch All, Switch Bigs or Switch Guards.
- Hedge: Automatic, No Hedge, Soft Hedges or Hard Hedge.
More pressure makes life harder for the attackers and creates more steals, but also increases the risk of fouls. Hover each option in the game to see its pros and cons.
During a game, you can also ask your players to commit a direct foul, for example to stop the clock at the end of a close game.
Basketball basics
Positions
- Point Guard ("1" or "PG")
- Shooting Guard ("2" or "SG")
- Small Forward ("3" or "SF")
- Power Forward ("4" or "PF")
- Center ("5" or "C")
In general, the size and weight of a player increase with their position.
Screens
A screen is an offensive action where a player helps to free a teammate from their defender: the player remains stationary (so as not to commit an offensive foul) close to the teammate's defender, in order to block the defender's path and open a corridor for their teammate.