head to head
vs
NBA 2K16vsNBA Live 09
NBA 2K16 leans Execution (Competitive PvP); NBA Live 09 leans Execution (Practiced Mastery).
NBA 2K16NBA Live 09
Axis by axis
Execution6 vs 6
Even - both lean on execution about the same.
Reads5 vs 5
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance2 vs 3
NBA Live 09 leans harder on variance: Shot percentages and turnovers add chaos
Optimization5 vs 6
NBA Live 09 leans harder on optimization: Playcalling, rotations and matchups reward planning
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.