The most effective type of defense in NBA 2K14 is to guard the ball handler and play smart on ball defense. This is also the toughest type of defense to play and in some situations you won’t be capable of stopping a player using on ball defense. If you notice you can’t stop the ball handler yourself don’t fret, there is another option. Play help defense.
There are two basic ways to play help defense, depending on your opponent you can alternate between the methods. The first method is to simply play defense as the center and hold down the paint (close out on some closer shots too. This is the easiest way to play defense so long as you don’t let easy passes to an open center in the post (get back to your man if you must or cut off the pass.
If you are playing a team like OKC then this is your method of choice because leaving Kendrick Perkins open usually isn’t an issue unless he is right under the basket. The “center defense” as I call it is extremely effective because not only can you close up lanes but your opponent see’s you are the intimidating center and will not want to bring it to the basket. Sometimes you can’t play off the center due to match up issues, this is where you must choose to help off.
If you are playing against the likes of Dwight Howard, Brook Lopez, Roy Hibbert or any other elite centers then it isn’t suggested you help off the center.
In order to shut down the offense you should help off the weakest link. Regardless if the offense’s weakest link is a point guard or a power forward you should help off the player your opponent is least likely to score with (if you’re trying to stop an elite center, use one of your forwards). If I am playing the Rockets I usually help off their weak power forwards. It is important to always keep an eye on the player you are helping off so they do not get a wide open layup.
This technique will force more shots with bad shooters and force the ball out of the primary scorer’s hand.
The best thing to do when you bring help is to force the ball out of the players hands or cut off the lane. Stepping in front of the player when they beat their defender and predicting which lane they are taking is a great move while playing help defense. If you just want the ball to be in another players hands(possibly cause Lebron is seemingly unstoppable for instance) then bring the help early in the offense and keep your defenders hands up to try to cut off any easy pass.
The final key to help defense is being able to quickly switch to another defender and bringing help on the open player you left. For instance if you bring the power forward to double team on the center then be ready to bring the small forward to stop the opponents power forward if they get the ball. The best 2K14 players won’t ever stop at one switch and will continuously bring help defenders until the offense is forced into a bad shot.
