Marred by overzealous offense and a lack of defensive mechanics, this game is still a very fun simulation.
The Positives.
The games graphics aren't going to win any awards, but the players match their identities in real life, and it is fairly noticeable, so the graphics are good for it's genre. The extra modes (non exhibition games) are very fun, and the season and franchise modes are very well done, and very fun. The controls are smooth, and the use of the joystick as a means to shoot the ball is a very solid format that leads to faster mastering of the controls.
The Negatives
When you start up the game, one thing becomes obviously clear. This game is meant for OFFENSE. There is literally no defense in this game whatsoever. It's easy to make baskets, it's hard to defend them. Most exhibition games I've played usually end it with both teams shooting above 50 percent, and this just isn't realistic at all. But is this just my bad understanding on how to defend against the computer? No, even if you lock onto a certain player, the computers concept of defense is worse then mine. I've had players with 60-70 ratings hit 10-14 fgm/fgt on players like O'Neil, Bryant, Bell, and Garnett on a constant basis. Again, not realistic.
Conclusion
Although marred by unrealistic offensive mechanics (or just a lack of defensive mechanics), this game is still very fun to play, and is the best basketball game out right now. It has good replay value, and the extra features and modes are very well done.