Awesome. Read my short review then buy the game! =]
The free throw system is great. It took me a short while to get used to it. At first it was seemingly difficult to make buckets from the line. Luckily the developers were smart enough to allow you to practice shooting free throws from the practice menu. If you're having problems making those extra points from the line, make sure you visit the practice/free throw option. The results are priceless.
The graphics are acceptable. Indeed, I believe these are probably the best graphics applied to any NBA game to date; however, I think the folks at Visual Concepts can do a better job defining the player model scales for next year's game. This is not a bitter complaint though. The game looks great (and I've yet to play it in HD!). I recommend using the TV Broadcast view while playing. In my opinion, this view offers the best and most authentic feel of watching an NBA game. I wish they would have made it the default perspective.
The only thing about this game I'm still a little skeptical about is the one on one defensive controls. I enjoy the fact that you can now get in player's faces with your hands up in the air. And I like the cut-off options as well. But in a way, I kind of miss the precision of ball swiping from last year's game. Last year it felt a bit easier to swipe for the ball with your desired hand using the right stick. This year the stick is dedicated to different mechanics. Perhaps, I just need to practice a bit more with this system.
Nevertheless, this game is awesome and I'm looking forward to spending countless hours abusing my friends and family in it. Let's go New York, Let's go! *stomp-stomp*