NBA 2k22 is all about good offense and great defense to strengthen your position in the court. Being good at offense gives you a point lead, and once you have it, focus on keeping it.
As for the Defense, it helps you stand tough against the opponent, and mastering NBA 2k22’s Defense controls will ensure that you will always maintain a high-intensity contestation of your opponent’s shots when they have the ball and steal back possession! So, let’s break into the NBA 2K22’s Defense Controls.
Defensive Controls
There are two kinds of defense controls: On Ball Defense Controls and Off Ball Defense Controls. These allow different moves and animations. The On Ball Defense Controls are useful when you are using them for the player who defends the one with the ball, while the Off Ball Controls are important when you need to use them for the player who is not defending the one with the ball.
On Ball Defense Controls
| Action | PS4/ PS5 | Xbox 1/Series X |
|---|---|---|
| Move Player | LS | LS |
| Hands Up | RS | RS |
| Player Swap | X | A |
| Take Charge | O | B |
| Block/Rebound | Triangle | Y |
| Steal | Square | X |
| Sprint | R2 | RT |
| Icon Swap | R1 | RB |
| Double Team | L1 | LB |
| Intense Defense | L2 | LT |
| International Foul | Touch Pad | Back Button |
| On the Fly Coaching | Arrow Pad | Arrow Pad |
Off-Ball Defense Controls
| Action | PS4/ PS5 | Xbox 1/Series X |
|---|---|---|
| Move Player | LS | LS |
| Hands Up | RS | RS |
| Player Swap | X | A |
| Take Charge | O | B |
| Block/Rebound | Triangle | Y |
| Steal | Square | X |
| Sprint | R2 | RT |
| Icon Swap | R1 | RB |
| Double Team | L1 | LB |
| Intense Defense | L2 | LT |
| International Foul | Touch Pad | Back Button |
| On the Fly Coaching | Arrow Pad | Arrow Pad |
Understanding Defensive Controls
Balancing your left trigger, right trigger, and motion controls is essential to stay in front of your opponent on defense. Here’s a breakdown of each:
- Right Trigger (Turbo): Only press turbo when entering the position. Do your work early on defense, get into position, and press L2.
- Left Trigger (Lateral Movement): Holding L2 will cause you to move laterally, slowing you down and compromising your perimeter defense. Only press L2 when you’re ready to set your feet and make minor adjustments.
How to play better defense in NBA 2k22?
To play better defense, you need to tweak the Defensive Assist Strength setting in your controller settings menu. By default, it is set to 50. However, this may vary depending on your console and setup.
This setting determines how much assistance the AI provides in helping your character stick to the ball handler. The lower the setting, the more control you have over your character’s movements. With a setting of 0, you have ultimate control over your character’s defensive movements, allowing for smoother lateral movement and more precise control.
Accessing the Controller Settings Menu
To get started, navigate to the main menu of NBA 2K22 and select the “Features” tab. From there, move to the “Options” tab and click on “Controller Settings.” This will take you to a menu with various settings, including shot meter, shot timing, and more. Scroll down to find the “Defensive Assist Strength” setting.
Benefits of Adjusting the Defensive Assist Strength
By adjusting this setting, you’ll be able to:
- Make smoother lateral movements
- Have more precise control over your character’s defensive movements
- React faster to the game and make more plays
- Improve your overall defensive game
Best on-ball Defense Tips in NBA 2k22
When it comes to playing successful on-ball defense in NBA 2k22, the key is that you must be in “Optimal Defensive Stance.” The ODS for NBA 2k22 has three parts, and when you have all three down, your success will be guaranteed.
For the first part, you must hold L2 and get close to the dribbler; for the next part, you must push the right stick up and hold it down, putting you in the ODS stance animation. Once you’re in the stance, crowd the dribbler while pressing L2 and holding the right stick up.
This will let you move fast while staying balanced, and the opposite player cannot make any contact with you.
Tips for Effective Defense
- Get yourself into position early using your turbo.
- Press L2 when ready to set your feet and make minor adjustments.
- If your opponent gets too far away, let go of L2, get back into position, and press L2 again.
- This will create opportunities to activate defensive badges, such as the Clamps badge or hip-rioting type of defensive situation.
