In NBA 2K, you can see the facial expressions of players, hear their slam-dunking yodels, and watch the crowd go crazy in the background.
People drink sodas, stand up, cheer, and move about, adding greatly to the ambience.
If the opposing team is shooting a free throw, the crowd will yell and stomp its feet to distract players well, they won't bother you, because you're one kick-ars playah. Sega is extremely proud of the game's artificial intelligence. The Bulls tend to run a triangle offense. West coast teams will play a fast break game, and east coast teams will lean to a half court offense with more banging inside. Coaches will even yell out plays to their teams.