NBA Live 18 Controls List

NBA Live 18 controls list has commands and button layouts for basic and advanced defense and offense, and a lot more. In this guide, we’ll show you how to shoot and pass, the button combinations for dribbling, how to move both defensively and offensively, block, sprint, and all those other flashy moves.

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Basic Offensive Controls

Action	PlayStation 4	Xbox One
Move player	Left stick	Left stick
Dribble moves	Right stick	Right stick
Shoot	Hold and release Square	Hold and release X
Layup	Hold Square when near basket	Hold X when near basket
Pass	Tap X	Tap A
Sprint	Hold R2	Hold RT

Passing Commands

Action	PlayStation 4	Xbox One
Pass	Tap X	Tap A
Self Alley	Quickly tap Triangle then Square	Quickly tap Y then X
Lob Pass	Tap Triangle	Tap Y
Backboard Aley-Oop	Quickly tap Triangle then Circle	Quickly tap Y then B
Dribble Handoff	Hold Circle	Hold B
Alley Oop	Double tap Triangle	Double tap Y
Touch Pass	Tap X while the ball is in the air	Tap A while the ball is in the air
Flashy Pass	Double tap Circle	Double tap B
Closest to Rim	Double tap R1	Double tap RB
Icon Passing	Hold R1 + Square/Triangle/Circle or L1	Hold RB + X/Y/B or LB
Freestyle Passing	Hold R1 and flick Right Stick towards intended player	Hold RB and flick Right Stick towards intended player
Bounce Pass	Tap Circle	Tap B

Shot Types – Shooting Controls

Action	PlayStation 4	Xbox One
Jump Shot	Hold then release Square or Right Stick Up	Hold then release X or Right Stick Up
Lay-Up	Hold Square when near basket	Hold X when near basket
Dunk	Hold R2+X near basket	Hold RT+X near basket
Fadeaway	Point Left Stick away from rim and press Square	Point Left Stick away from rim and press X
Adjust Shot	While dunk/layup is in the air, tap Square	While dunk/layup is in the air, tap X
Putback	While rebounding tap Square	While rebounding tap X
Pump Fake	Tap Square	Tap X
Spin Gather	While driving, double tap Square	While driving, double tap X
Spin-back Jumper	Hold Right Stick Down	Hold Right Stick Down
Step-Back Jumper	Hold R2 + Right Stick Down	Hold RT + Right Stick Down
Eurostep	While driving, hold R2 + double tap Square	While driving, hold RT + double tap X
Floater	Release R2 + Hold Right Stick Up while driving	Release RT + Hold Right Stick Up while driving

Dribble Moves

Action	PlayStation 4	Xbox One
Crossover	Right Stick in direction of hand without ball	Right Stick in direction of hand without ball
Behind the Back	Right Stick in Semi-Circle to the Left or Right	Right Stick in Semi-Circle to the Left or Right
Dribble Modifier	Hold R2	Hold RT
Spin	Hold R2 + Right Stick in Semi-Circle to the Left or Right	Hold RT + Right Stick in Semi-Circle to the Left or Right
In & Out	Flick Right Stick Up	Flick Right Stick Up

Advance Offense Controls

Action	PlayStation 4	Xbox One
Coach Panel	Hold D-Pad Down	Hold D-Pad Down
Play Calling	Tap L1	Tap LB
Call for Screen	Hold L1	Hold LB
Pick and Roll / Pop	Hold L1 + Toggle L3	Hold LB + Toggle L3

Post Movement Commands

Action	PlayStation 4	Xbox One
Enter Backdown	Hold L2	Hold LT
Backdown	Hold L2 and point Left Stick towards Defender	Hold LT and point Left Stick towards Defender
Aggressive Backdown	Hold L2 + R2 while pointing Left Stick towards Defender	Hold LT + RT while pointing Left Stick towards Defender
Hard Bump	Flick Right Stick towards Defender	Flick Right Stick towards Defender
Face-Up	Release L2	Release LT
Post Spin / Drive	Point Left Stick towards the basket and release L2	Point Left Stick towards the basket and release LT
Pro Hop / Drop Step	While in Backdown, rotate and hold Right Stick	While in Backdown, rotate and hold Right Stick

Post Defense

Action	PlayStation 4	Xbox One
Block	Triangle	Y
Pull Chair	Right Stick to the Left or Right	Right Stick to the Left or Right
Defend Spin	Left Stick towards direction of Spin	Left Stick towards direction of Spin
Take Charge	Hold Right Stick Down	Hold Right Stick Down
Push Back	R2 + Left Stick towards Offensive Player	RT + Left Stick towards Offensive Player

Basic Defensive Controls

Action	PlayStation 4	Xbox One
Move Player	Left Stick	Left Stick
Defensive Assist / Deny Ball	Hold L2	Hold LT
Steal / Deflect	Press Square	Press X
Switch Player	Press X	Press A
Icon Switch	Hold R1 + Square / Triangle / Circle or L1	Hold RB + X/Y/B or LB
Block / Rebound	Press Triangle	Press Y

Advanced Defense

Action	PlayStation 4	Xbox One
Intentional Foul	Repeatedly Tap Circle	Repeatedly Tap B
Take Charge	Hold Right Stick Down	Hold Right Stick Down
Double Team	Hold Circle	Hold B
Contest	Hold Right Stick Up	Hold Right Stick Up
Deny Ball	Hold L2 near off-ball opponent	Hold LT near off-ball opponent
Defensive Assist	R2	RT

Defensive Pressure Commands

Action	PlayStation 4	Xbox One
Pack Paint	Double Tap Up on D-Pad	Double Tap Up on D-Pad
Star Focus	Double Tap Left on D-Pad	Double Tap Left on D-Pad
Coach Default	Double Tap Down on D-Pad	Double Tap Down on D-Pad
Pressure Shooters	Double Tap Right on D-Pad	Double Tap Right on D-Pad

Play Calling Commands

Action	PlayStation 4	Xbox One
Screen Play	Tap Right on D-Pad	Tap Right on D-Pad
Open Choose Play	Tap Down on D-Pad	Tap Down on D-Pad
Iso Play	Tap Up on D-Pad	Tap Up on D-Pad
Quick Play	Tap Up on D-Pad to select the suggested play	Tap Up on D-Pad to select the suggested play
Select Play	L1 + Right Stick	LB + Right Stick
Cut Play	Tap Left on D-Pad	Tap Left on D-Pad

Off-Ball Controls

Action	PlayStation 4	Xbox One
Set Screen	Hold L1	Hold LB
Push Off	Hold R2 + move Righ Stick away from Defender	Hold RT + move Righ Stick away from Defender
Box Out	When rebounding hold L2	When rebounding hold LT
Box Out Swim	Move Right Stick	Move Right Stick
Have Teammate Shoot	Press Square	Press X
Spin Off Defender	Hold R2 + Right Stick Semi-Circle to the Left or Right	Hold R2 + Right Stick Semi-Circle to the Left or Right
Post Up	Hold L2	Hold LT
Box Out Steer	Move Left Stick while holding L2	Move Left Stick while holding LT
Call for Pass	Press X	Press A

13 COMMENTS

J
Joseph Strahan
how do you call time out in nba 18 , instead of pressing the start button
December 11, 2017 at 2:06 am Reply
1. S
  sonny
  its easy the button next to the menu button
  May 24, 2018 at 2:08 am Reply
M
Marty
How do u open dunk packages if u are a basic dunker. I’m in my 4th season and I’m still on basic dunks. I think it’s lame that my teammates dunk on everyone and I’m still doing basic dunks
October 14, 2017 at 2:11 am Reply
1. J
  Josh
  Go into career mode
  Scroll to far right near settings
  Go to animations
  Select Dunk
  Change Dunk Package
  Hope this helps!
  July 18, 2022 at 8:36 am Reply
J
jomoto
How do you call a time out
October 6, 2017 at 3:18 pm Reply
1. L
  Lokesh
  Touch pad?
  October 6, 2017 at 4:40 pm Reply
J
Joseph Elliott
Been having fun with this game??
September 24, 2017 at 5:22 pm Reply
1. T
  Trey
  How do you only control one player? I just wanna play SG not control everybody
  December 16, 2017 at 9:57 pm Reply
  1. K
    Kaka Face
    You can only use one player in the games version of mycareer.
    December 30, 2017 at 5:10 pm Reply
D
Dajuan
Worst fucking game of all time
August 13, 2017 at 7:38 am Reply
1. R
  Robert
  Exactly it’s trash
  August 26, 2017 at 7:21 pm Reply
  1. B
    Brian Chambers
    I think the game is nice i have not played it yet
    September 28, 2017 at 8:05 pm Reply
  2. D
    Darnell
    Both y’all trash, game is pretty good
    January 9, 2018 at 3:37 am Reply