Postell

Lavor Postell's eyes widen when NBA 2K2's introductory highlight reel flashed across the screen. "Man, we've come a long way from Atari," he says softly. The second-year Knicks guard differs from his co-horts of similar age in that video games aren't a huge part of his life. He doesn't have a system at home, but says he loves playing at mall arcades. Old school – at least before NBA.com sat him down and made him try out NBA2K2. Now Postell's hooked and an X-Box will probably join his uniform in the packing must-haves for road trips.

Game 1:

Lavor Postell puts cyber Allen Iverson to work in NBA 2K2: 740k avi | Quicktime

"The Knicks!" Postell proclaims indignantly when asked who his team will be as he picks up the controller. For the opposition? "Nah, I don't care," he says and clicks the team that is already there, the Sixers. But as the game starts, it soon becomes apparent something fishy is going on. "Wait, I AM the Sixers!" he wails, realizing Allan Houston is now his opponent – and scored on him.

So Postell has to switch his mentality, going against the faces he has always known as his teammates. Postell's Sixers have two early shot clock violations and the ball keeps winding up in the hands of Robert Traylor and away from Allen Iverson, the Sixers' leading scorer.

With 2:50 left to play in the first quarter, Postell has to break down and ask, "How do you shoot?" and his 14-0 deficit all of a sudden makes much more sense. Finding the right duration and degree of pushing the yellow "x" button, Postell finally gets on the board by virtue of an Iverson trey with 23 seconds left in the quarter. 1st Q: NYK 18, PHI 3

Postell scores much earlier in the second quarter with a three from George Lynch at 3:40. He even puts Traylor to work with a slam and a foul. When the Knicks go to inbound the ball, Postell breaks out laughing. "That's supposed to be LJ?" he asks of the cyber-interpretation of his recently retired teammate, Larry Johnson. But the game quickly regains Postell's full attention. With the score 28-12, he announces, "I'm getting the hang of it now." However, the first half ends with the Knicks leading his Sixers. Halftime: NYK 32, PHI 12

Iverson heats up in the third quarter. "Take it AI," Postell coaches from the controller. "Yeah, that's a three man" as the ball swishes through the hoop. The Sixers are later called for a three-second defensive violation, prompting more laughter. The cyber-refs have the new rules down, even if it's taking longer to translate in the real-life games. Postell's Sixers outscore the Knicks in the third quarter 13-9, but New York maintains a comfortable lead. 3rd Q: NYK 41, PHI 25

By the fourth quarter, Postell has mastered the controller to where Traylor and Dikembe Mutombo aren't the ones advancing the ball anymore. His players still pump fake about three times before putting up a shot, but Traylor has a nice jam at under a minute left that brings encouragement from Postell. "C'mon man!" The next time up the court, Eric Snow clanks a three-point attempt to Postell's dismay. "No Snow! You've gotta make those!" The game ends with the Knicks winning. Final: NYK 53, PHI 33

Postell checks out the game stats. His Sixers shot only 39 percent from the field compared to 62 percent for the Knicks. "That's depressing," he says. But even worse, the Sixers had 12 turnovers to only four for the Knicks. "Can't win games like that."

Game 2:

Postell stays with the Sixers and gets on the board just 36 seconds into the first quarter off an Iverson jumper. "There we go," Postell nods affirmatively. In fact, he gets his first lead with 2:40 to go in the first on a Traylor putback that puts the Sixers ahead 7-6. "Got him," Postell says about 50 seconds later when Iverson launches again. "I'm feeling it now. Got the 'J'." But the Knicks have slipped ahead again and the quarter ends with Philadelphia down. 1st Q: NYK 16, PHI 9

Postell can't seem to make any headway into the Knicks' lead, but the intensity is rising. Late in the second quarter, Lynch passes to Traylor in in the middle of the key. Traylor takes two steps and slams down the two-handed dunk over Kurt Thomas for the bucket and the foul. Postell is out of his chair. "And 1!" he cries, pumping his fist. The Knicks respond with eight unanswered points to end the first half leading Postell's Sixers. Halftime: NYK 32, PHI 17

The Sixers start the second half with a Mutombo jam and Postell gives an understanding nod. "We're passing the ball now. Weren't passing the ball before." Lynch nails an off-balance shot from behind the arc that doesn't go unnoticed by the NBA 2K2 announcers. "He got a very ugly three to go down," the color analyst says.

With 2:33 to go, a rested Iverson subs back in (each of the players has a numeric "energy level" that prevents gamers from working them the duration of the contest) and Postell coaches the screen: "Okay, AI's back. Let's go. Let's play some D." As if in response, Mutombo blocks the next Knick shot, a jumper by Houston. Postell goes back to his money shot, an Iverson trey, but this one sails past the basket, touching nothing. The NBA 2K2 announcer chimes in, "That looked more like a pass than a shot." Postell doesn't answer. His Sixers are in the hole after three quarters. 3rd Q: NYK 45, PHI 32

McKie has the hot hand in the fourth quarter and Postell tries to get him the ball. McKie's first attempt from behind the arc goes in, but the second one clanks off the room. No worries -- Mutombo is there for the putback. Iverson then hits the first of back-to-back treys. "COOKIES!" Postell exclaims his approval. Or maybe he was asking for a snack. Iverson misses the next shot, but Lynch is there for the rebound jam. With 44 seconds to play, Postell has closed the gap to six points. "We got a game," he murmurs, brow furrowed.

But the contest turns on the next whistle as Iverson gets called for the intentional foul. "Who's making these calls?" Postell growls at the cyber-refs. The buzzer sounds on another Knicks victory, but Postell is philosophical. "At least it's not a blowout." Final: NYK 59, PHI 49

Iverson finished the second game with 20 points, however the Sixers' shooting stayed at a low 36.8 percent. They did come out on the better end of the turnover battle, with only three compared to New York's seven. But the Knicks blistered them with 59.5 percent field goal shooting, led by Houston's 22 points.

Parting Shots:

"Well, I thought I was a'ight," Postell says of his gaming abilities. "But now that's pretty suspect." His opinion of NBA 2K2 however, is unqualified. "I love it. I just got wrapped up in these games." He laughs about his early struggles. "I was out there. But it was also a new joystick for me. I had to get used to the buttons."

"Just get the ball to your shooter," is his advice for NBA 2K2. "AI for me. That's it. And then Mutombo blocks some shots." And the best signature move? "The crossover -- AI. I was working on it. I got it a couple of times. But now I'm going to go home and work on it.

"You've got to practice to be perfect and that's what I've got to do. I might change my team though -- might go with LA or somebody. I just hate to lose. Even in this!"