| Developer: | EA Canada |
| Platforms: | PlayStation, PlayStation 2, Windows |
| Publisher: | EA Sports |
| Series: | NBA Live |
| Released: | PlayStation PlayStation 2 Windows |
| Genre: | Sports (Basketball) |
| Modes: | Single-player, Multiplayer |
NBA Live 2001 is the 2001 installment of the NBA Live video games series. The cover features Kevin Garnett as a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves. The game was developed by EA Canada and published by Electronic Arts under the EA Sports Label. NBA Live 2001 is followed by NBA Live 2002. The PC version of the game for the second year included EA's "Face in the Game" feature that debuted in NBA Live 2000, allowing players to use custom facial photographs on created players.
The PlayStation and PC versions received "generally favorable reviews", while the PlayStation 2 version received "average" reviews, according to video game review aggregator Metacritic. Emmett Schkloven of NextGen said of the PS version, "If you like the franchise, it's a mild improvement. If you're not crazy about videogame basketball, this will not be the game to convert you." Rob Smolka of the same magazine later said of the PS2 version, "It's good looking and [it] plays well, but it isn't quite the leap it should (and arguably could) have been." In Japan, where the same console version was ported and published by Electronic Arts Victor on February 22, 2001, Famitsu gave it a score of 29 out of 40.
Gil Alexander Shif of GameZone gave the PC version 9.5 out of 10, calling it "the best basketball game you can buy for the PC, period."[1] However, Michael Lafferty gave the PlayStation version 8 out of 10, calling it "a wonderful journey with the elite of the basketball world, providing a variety of options that will appeal to a variety of players and skills."[2] William Abner of Computer Games Strategy Plus gave the PC version three stars out of five, saying, "NBA Live 2001 isn't a bad game. In fact, if you skipped last year's version you'll probably want to check it out. For longtime fans of the series there simply isn't enough new stuff to get excited about, however, and for every improvement there are missing features and lingering problems that drag the game down."[3]
Human Tornado of GamePro said of the PlayStation version in one review, "If you want a game that's more tailored to individual play rather than team cooperation, then NBA Live is a great choice. It also ekes out a slightly better score on the graphics front, and there are some extra bells and whistles like the one-on-one game. Still, this year's hoops head-to-head is a very close call. Both ShootOut and Live will give gamers a run for their money, and they both have excellent production values. For this season it's really just a matter of taste."[4] In another GamePro review, Dan Elektro said of the same console version, "As usual, it's EA's attention to detail that lifts Live up above the competition. The changes aren't too dramatic from last year – they're tweaks, really – but the improved graphics and new Challenge mode make it worth the price. If you're looking for the best of the class of '01, Live is it."[5] However, Uncle Dust said of the PlayStation 2 version, "This ProReview may sound like a long list of complaints, yet overall NBA Live 2001 is the best hoops game on the PS2."[6]