In the real NBA and in NBA 2K24, one of the most crucial elements to winning games centers around playmaking. Many great championship teams have had players who knew how to facilitate very well, knowing where everyone is on the court on offense.
The Denver Nuggets won the NBA Finals in 2023 in large part because of Nikola Jokic’s incredible ability to pass the ball. When the Warriors won their titles, they had two guys who could move the ball very well with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green.
So basically, it’s tough to win when you don’t have proper playmakers and they don’t have to be point guards either, especially in today’s league. The same goes with NBA 2K24. If you have a player on your team who’s a willing passer and has great court vision, your chances of winning are high.
But there are ways you can get creative with your passing skills while still being completely effective. These three things are good to take note of when you’re on the court moving the ball around.
Utilizing Flashy Passes
Yup, that’s right. Flashy passes. It’s much more than just a showmanship thing in NBA 2K24. Sure, they look awesome and make you feel cool, but they’re also highly effective. Performing them can throw off defenses and make you get the ball out a bit quicker than you would with a normal pass. Now, keep in mind that pass speed in general is dependent on your Pass Accuracy rating. The higher the rating, the quicker your passes are and then the flashy passes just crank that up more. Also, throw in the Special Delivery badge, and you’ll really be pulling this off with ease. So these are both fun and they work too. Win-win situation.
Bounce Passes
Quite possibly the most underrated move in NBA 2K, the bounce pass in some ways is similar to flashy passes because these too can throw off defenders, especially on fast breaks. On the fast breaks, defenders typically have a habit of anticipating high passes and try to go for the interception. However, the bounce pass can thread the needle and squeak past opponents for an easy opportunity. They’re really simple to pull and they look very pretty when done from a distance. Press circle (on PlayStation) to perform these passes.
Fake Passing
An effective playmaking move that doesn’t involve actually getting rid of the ball in NBA 2K24. This is actually a pretty common strategy but it’s a good one to pass (no pun intended) along if you’re a newer player or someone who normally doesn’t take on a playmaking role. If you’re on PlayStation, hitting both triangle and circle at the same time will make you do a fake pass. There have been several instances where I’ve seen defenders take the bait, leaving the ball handler open for a shot. If the opponent takes the bait and another player decides to come over to you, you can then dish it off to the open teammate.
