It’s launch weekend for NBA2K23. Blazer’s Edge will have an extended review later in the week, but for all those early adopters, we’re curious about your initial impressions of this year’s iteration of the game. It’s not an enviable task, having to innovate each season while keeping graphics excellent and core gameplay approachable. Have the folks at 2K managed it? What play modes are you trying first? Have you found anything particularly joyful or annoying during your early run-throughs?
Personally, the first thing I’ve looked at is the Portland Trail Blazers All-Time team. I could not wait to get my hands on all-time dream lineups for our favorite franchise. This year’s squad is fairly satisfying. The starting lineup consists of:
Clyde Drexler —96 Overall Rating
Bill Walton —95 Overall Rating
Damian Lillard —94 Overall Rating
Maurice Lucas —90 Overall Rating
LaMarcus Aldridge —89 Overall Rating
There are a couple of oddities. Neither Maurice Lucas nor LaMarcus Aldridge are small forwards. Rasheed Wallace is not in the NBA2K23 game, one of several former NBA players (notably including Charles Barkley) who aren’t under contractual agreement for use of their likeness. Otherwise, Wallace and Aldridge might make a versatile, dream-forward tandem. But the lineup is fun to play with nevertheless, dominant inside for sure.
Portland’s All-Time Bench looks like this:
Terry Porter —88 Overall Rating
Sidney Wicks —88 Overall Rating
Arvydas Sabonis —88 Overall Rating
Geoff Petrie -87 Overall Rating
Jerome Kersey —87 Overall Rating
Jim Paxson —86 Overall Rating
CJ McCollum —86 Overall Rating
Zach Randolph —86 Overall Rating
Kiki Vandeweghe -86 Overall Rating
Kevin Duckworth —85 Overall Rating
Bringing in Sabonis for Walton is exactly as enjoyable as you’d expect it to be. So is watching Vandeweghe, Petrie, and Paxon rain jumpers over the heads of opponents.
It’s particularly satisfying running Portland’s all-time team against the current version of the Los Angeles Lakers, to teach them a lesson. Yeah, I’m a sicko like that.
Share your initial impressions below as the game unfolds for you in the coming week!
Blazer’s Edge was given a media copy of NBA2K23 for review.