Choice between 2k15 or Live

2k

2K all the way

Live has been the noticeably lesser game since like 05-06ish (around when they started to put waaaaay too much focus on dunking)

It got so bad they straight up didnt release it for a few years.

I wouldn't play NBA Live even if it was free.

In all seriousness, NBA 2k14 is >>>> 2k15

2k15 is piece of shite.

I haven't played an NBA 2K game since the days of the Dreamcast, but I hear good things about the series.

I actually own NBA Live, but I probably wouldn't have purchased it if it wasn't on sale on PSN for $15 last week. Live does have a few things going for it. It has the ESPN license which makes for an authentic presentation; however, the commentary is pretty bad. The line delivery is flat, and I'll hear the same lines literally over and over every single game if I play often enough with a single team.

The character models look very realistic and Live probably has better looking courts from what I've seen in screenshots. The animations are a bit stiff though and the game just doesn't flow as well.

The main thing that bugs me about Live is the shooting. In addition to player skill and shot timing, whether you are open, guarded, or taking a contested shot affects how successful you will be at making the shot. The penalty for taking a jump shot when you're anything but wide open just feels too high, making scoring a matter of shooting endless layups/dunks or 3 point shots.

Overall, I'd still probably recommend NBA 2K15, but Live isn't as bad as people will say. Most people who say it's terrible probably haven't played it or are going off of what they remember from Live 14.