Games
"We can't win at home and we can't win on the road. My problem as general manager is I can't think of another place to play."
Clicking on the Schedule link in the Team Overview page lists all of the matches from the current season involving your team, listing those that have already been played as well as those scheduled for the future. Using the drop-down menu at the top-right corner, you can view a list of matches from previous seasons.
Each team plays two league matches per week, during the regular season, on Saturdays and Tuesdays. Each team will also play either a scrimmage or a cup game on Thursdays. Additionally, three of the games during the season will also be classified as televised games. These games have a higher impact on your fan base than normal games. Win big or lose a nail-biter on the road on TV and everybody wants your star player's jersey. Lose big and be prepared to look at even more empty seats.
There are several vital game features that are accessible from this page:
- By clicking on the Match Replay link for a completed game, you will be taken to the match viewer, where you can watch a replay of every shot, rebound, foul, timeout, and point from the match, complete with running commentary and updated stats for all of the players. Even better, if you check the Schedule while one of your matches is currently live, you will see a View Live! link, that will take you to the match viewer, displaying the live game!
- By clicking Set Lineup for an upcoming match, you'll be able to set your active roster (the 12 players who will be eligible to play in the game), determine you starting lineup as well as your backups and reserve players, and decide which offensive and defensive tactics you will use for the match. If you don't set your tactics, your team will use the default settings, which may not be the best choices for your team. Choosing your tactics to optimize your team's performance requires careful thought; much of this ability comes from trying out varying strategies and different player combinations, analyzing the resulting box scores, and talking with more experienced users. You must submit your tactics by 15 minutes before the game, because after that, the coach will be down in the locker room giving his pre-game pep talk.
- By clicking on the score of a previously played game, you can view the complete box score and summarized team ratings for the match.