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NBA 2K20 (Xbox One)

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Choose the most lucrative sponsorships

Don't gloss over sponsorships as some sort of side game that doesn't mean anything. Sponsorships can net you more VC per game, a bonus on big, nationally televised games, and free gear. This is especially important if you aren't spending real money on VC, as the grind to improve your character is brutal otherwise. To that end, pay close attention to the choices you make in MyCareer. Each choice and action will get you more fans, more media exposure, or alter the chemistry between you and your teammates, all of which will factor into both your player and sponsorship contract negotiations.

Defensive Tips

It's not all about scoring points - you have to prevent your opponents from scoring them, too. Digest these tips on the other side of the ball to keep the other team from running away with the game.

Square up and strafe for better defense
When it comes time to keep up with your man, you might think the turbo button will keep you safe. That is wrong. Hold L2 instead, and watch as your player gets low and squares his shoulder to the ball carrier. You'll find it easier to control your man as you look to try and match the movements of the ball carrier, and you can even use the right analog stick to put your hands in the way of a shot or into a passing lane to attempt a block, steal, or contested shot. The L2 button will be your best friend on defense.

You will still need to get comfortable with that turbo button if you're on offense and suffer a fast break rebound, but for the most part, this is how you follow your assignment.

Get back on the fast break
Speaking of fast breaks, don't lollygag on the turn of possession. If your teammate misses a shot and you can't get the rebound, start running down to the other end of the court. And when you make the shot, don't sit around celebrating when the point guard is about to take the ball right back in the other direction.

Box out on rebounds and free-throws
And speaking of rebounds, make it easier on yourself. The defense will be in a better position to rebound the ball more often than not. When you are, hold L2 to box your guy out, and either pave the way for your players to grab it or go and get it yourself (especially if you're the center).

Don't leave your man open
Not sure what your assignment on any given play or in any given defense is supposed to be? NBA 2K20 has visual aides turned on for most difficulty levels. On defense, you'll see a blue arrow directing you toward the man you're supposed to pick up.

It's especially important to pay attention to this indicator when you're playing zone defense, as the man you're supposed to be guarding changes constantly. If you find yourself away from the play, just press the X button to switch to the player closest to the ball.

Go for well-timed steals
Forcing turnovers is an important part of basketball. The classic steal is one of the most exciting defensive plays because of it. Just press Square to put your hand out and go for the ball.

Be careful, though. If you spam the steal button you risk being called for a reach-in foul. Try and only go for the steal against a player who doesn't have great handling, or while they're in the act of passing the ball. Even just one or two stolen possessions can be the difference between winning and losing the game.

Master The New Shot Meter

This game brings a new shot meter which wasn't there in previous entries in the series. This time around, you will be able to see a meter next to the player and to ge tthe best shot possible, you should let go of the ball when the meter is the highest.

MyTeam Mode

Your go-to strategy for staring out with be to pick the starter pack with the most silver players. This will help you get an upper hand in matches early on. Secondly, you might want to keep an eye on the heat check cards.

These are special packs of cards that will quickly rise in value over time, so get them as soon as possible. You can then choose to use them for yourself or sell these cards at tremendous profits at the Auction House.

Regarding the main currency of the MyTeam Mode, MT coins, they are hard to come by but if you get a hand on some, try to save up on it.

Eventually, you will come to a point where you can buy expensive and legendary player cards to build a near-perfect version of your team. Spending it quickly will not yield such good results, wait for something better.

Patience is key here. We are looking at around 10k MT coins before you can even think of spending anything.

Challenges within the MyTeam mode will allow you to get a decent amount of reward tokens for not that much of an effort. The difficulty level is not too much either and so it is a walk in the park.

You can also try to team up with your friends and carry out these challenges to put the fun factor into it as well!

Offenses and Defenses

For any beginner, the basics are of utmost importance. As such, here are some simple tips for those wanting to get better at both aggressive and defensive play.

For offense, the most important thing to understand is that coverage can hamper your game play. Gone are the days of defenders just randomly flying up in your face and being able to randomly get a block. Instead, timing is key. Make sure to maximize the efficiency of your shots by trying to always find the open player. The more open the player is, the better chance their shot has of going in, whether it's a 3pt shot, or a drive through an open lane.

For defense, the most important thing is understanding how to cover your opponent. Each player, at the start of the defensive phase, is assigned a man-to-man defense. As such, it is your job, depending on who you pick, to defend your man and not let them get any open space. Also, time your jumps and block attempts. If you jump, or attempt a steal, and miss, you have now given your opponent a large window of opportunity to make a play, as you need to recover from your unfortunate mistake.

Only buy what you need

If you're not going to be spending any real money in MyCareer, then it's important to be smart with your VC. (On the flipside, if you're not interested in grinding for the VC, then be smart with your real money.) Especially in the early going, you'll want to use every point of VC you get to improve your character's ratings and abilities. The shoes, tattoos, jewelry, haircuts, and all that other stuff will tempt you for sure, but there's no sense in being a well-dressed basketball player who can't exactly play basketball.

Start With A Bad Team

Apart from the great feeling of bringing the underdog team to victory, it's also great to start with a not-so-great team simply because it will guarantee you a greater amount of play time which will lead to greater pay, and so on.

Use Bounce Passes

There are lots of different kinds of passes in the game that will be of use in different situations. However, each of them carries some risks too. The best pass to use early on and which comes with low risk is the bounce pass, so make sure you use it when you need to pass the ball to a nearby player.

Various Achievements

Complete the following achievements to unlock Microsoft Gamerscore points.

Achievement	How to unlock	Points
'Da Real MVP	Be named Player of the Game in MyCAREER	15
Am I A Joke To You?	Go on a 20-0 scoring run in a single game	30
Collector	Get 10 defensive rebounds in a MyCAREER game	15
Dead End	Get 3 blocks in a MyCAREER game	15
Dirty Dishes	Get 5 assists in a MyCAREER game	15
Dirty Work	Get more rebounds, blocks, and assists than your opponent	15
Dishwasher	Get 15 assists in a MyCAREER game	30
Doing The Dishes	Get 10 assists in a MyCAREER game	15
Dynamic	Play a game with two players who form a duo in MyTEAM	15
Finders	Get 3 steals in a MyCAREER game	15
Fly Swatter	Get 5 blocks in a MyCAREER game	15
For The Show	Record a double-double in a MyCAREER game	15
Freeloader	Make 5 free throws in a MyCAREER game	15
Geologist	Collect a player card of every gem color in MyTEAM	30
Green Light	Make 1 Green Release shot in a game	15
Green Zone	Make 5 Green Release shots in a single game	15
Hoarder	Get 20 defensive rebounds in a MyCAREER game	30
I Just Can't Stop Scoring	Make 15 three-pointers in a MyCAREER game	30
It's Easy Being Green	Make 10 Green Release shots in a single game	15
It's Free Real Estate	Make 10 free throws in a MyCAREER game	30
It's Pouring	Make 10 three-pointers in a MyCAREER game	15
It's Raining	Make 5 three-pointers in a MyCAREER game	15
Keep Your Distance	Make 10 three-point shots in any one game	15
Keepers	Get 5 steals in a MyCAREER game	15
Make A Point	Win a game by more than 10 points	15
Make A Statement	Win a game by more than 20 points	15
Makin' Adjustments	Make an on-the-fly defensive coaching adjustment during a game	15
MyATLANTIC MyTEAM	Win A MyTEAM game with a starting lineup of Atlantic Division players	15
MyCENTRAL MyTEAM	Win A MyTEAM game with a starting lineup of Central Division players	15
MyNORTHWEST MyTEAM	Win A MyTEAM game with a starting lineup of Northwest Division players	15
MyPACIFIC MyTEAM	Win A MyTEAM game with a starting lineup of Pacific Division players	15
MySOUTHEAST MyTEAM	Win A MyTEAM game with a starting lineup of Southeast Division players	15
MySOUTHWEST MyTEAM	Win A MyTEAM game with a starting lineup of Southwest Division players	15
Net Gain	Turn the ball over 10 fewer times than your opponent	15
Off To The Races	Score the first 10 points of the game	30
One-Man Show	Score or assist on half your team's points in a MyCAREER game	15
Play It Again, Fam	Get 5 offensive rebounds in a MyCAREER game	15
Second Chances	Get 3 offensive rebounds in a MyCAREER game	15
Spreading The Love	Finish a game in which all 5 starters score double-digit points	30
Take Over	Activate your MyPLAYER’s Takeover meter in a MyCAREER game	15
The Baker	Score 20 points in a MyCAREER game	15
The Butcher	Score 10 points in a MyCAREER game	15
The Candlestick Maker	Score 50 points in a MyCAREER game	30
The More The Merrier	Acquire a player with Tokens in MyTEAM	15
The Rest Is Just Academic	Take a 10 point lead into halftime	15
To Get Ready	Record a triple-double in a MyCAREER game	30
To Go	Record a quadruple-double in a MyCAREER game	40
Turning Point	Outscore your opponent by 10 points in a single quarter	15
Ultimate Collector	Reach the G.O.A.T. Collector Level in MyTEAM	90
Winning	Win a game	15

Wait For An Opening

Don't always go for shots if it's going to end up with you losing possession for the ball. Sometimes, the best tactic will be to just pass the ball to nearby teammates and then wait for an opening so that you can get an easier shot.