o improve its chances against the NBA 2K juggernaut, EA went straight to the professionals. By integrating a Dynamic DNA statistical system developed by Synergy Sports, EA finally delivers a game that mimics its real world counterpart. Teams behave as they would in real games, and the right players take the right shots at the right time. Is it enough to dethrone the champ?

The refined on-court action largely aids the cause. Gone are the clueless players who watched loose balls rather than scramble for them or slow down on a fastbreak. The easy-access signature play-calling puts strategy at your fingertips, and the improved Lockdown Control makes guarding AI opponents much less frustrating. The new pick-and-roll mechanic is a hit-and-miss affair, but when used correctly can be a deadly offensive weapon to complement the superior post play.

With NBA Academy, Live’s already deep Dynasty mode receives another layer of strategy. Every month you can train your team by running the gauntlet of hoops drills to hone skills. The off-season, however, needs an overhaul. Trade offers are abundant during the draft, but you can’t trade your pick when you’re on the clock. During free agency, the game automatically re-signs players without your consent if you don’t have at least eight players on the team, and free agents bagging groceries during the regular season demand outrageous $9 million multi-year contracts instead of accepting the league minimum like most street-bound players would.

Two of NBA Live’s new modes, Be A Pro and online team play, largely disappoint. The Be A Pro mode, which shined in NHL 09 by allowing you to create a player and experience the sport firsthand, is a shell of itself. All you can do is play an exhibition game with one player. The five-on-five online team play would be great if there was some semblance of defense; it’s so hard to stay on your mark that most of the games will be determined by who misses the most open shots.

NBA Live 09’s gameplay improvements make this the best game in the series. If more care would have been taken to the new modes, it might have unseated the 2K franchise.