The NBA 2K Season

This is my most treasured of all NBA video game memories. I played the original NBA 2K on my suitemate's Dreamcast in May of 2001 with the spring breeze blowing and not a care in the world. My suitemates were usually gone during the day, so I had that time on the Dreamcast.

Since this wasn't going to be a "canonical" season and since I didn't have time for a full season, I played a short season (probably 20-something games with 3 minute quarters, hardest difficulty). I have this weird obsessive-compulsive thing where I feel it's necessary to either grind out a true full-length season in sports games, or to just play the shortest possible season. There's no in-between.

This was the most difficult NBA game I'd yet played. I made it to the playoffs and through the Eastern Conference without anything happening that I can remember 11 years later. Then came the Finals against the formidable Los Angeles Lakers. In real life, this was the first year of their three-peat.

My Knicks were in serious trouble this series. I was probably down 2-1 or something like that, and knew that there was no realistic way that I could win this thing.

In a number of NBA games, when you commit a flagrant foul the opposing player gets injured 100% of the time, sometimes for a quarter and sometimes for multiple games. It is way too easy to commit flagrant fouls, as there is basically a button used to shove other players.

Shaq was obviously an unstoppable beast in NBA 2K...

At some point in the series, around Game 3 or 4, I flagrantly fouled Shaquille O'Neal. He was injured for the remainder of the Finals. I won the Championship, but even without their best player it was still a tough series that went 7 games.

Did I "hack" Shaq on purpose with the intention of hurting him? I don't remember. Perhaps some of the darker portions of our memory are best left unexplored. Needless to say, this has always felt like a hollow victory.

Someday, somehow, I will seek redemption.