Two of the most infuriating gameplay issues of NBA 2Ks past appear to have been remedied. It’s a welcome addition to the franchise, as learning player release points is more intuitive than ever before. This mechanic will be easier or harder based upon the spot a player shoots from, his individual tendencies, his balance, and the defense in front of him. The goal is to end the shot command as close to the notch in the center of the meter as possible. Upon beginning a jump-shot in NBA 2K15, a small semi-circle fills up based upon the time the square button or right stick is held. This often lead to incredibly frustrating moments, as certain players ( cough cough Shawn Marion cough cough) had bizarre shot techniques that were all but impossible to predict. Previously, users essentially had to learn the specific release point of every NBA player’s shot if they had any hope of attaining high shooting percentages. Most notably, a shot meter now appears around half of the circle surrounding a given player’s feet, making it easier to accurately time shots. While NBA 2K15‘s core gameplay is essentially the same as NBA 2K14‘s, a few important tweaks have been made to add to the experience. While the newest iteration of Take Two’s outstanding basketball simulation series, NBA 2K15, doesn’t necessarily reinvent the wheel, it finds a way to make an already stellar product even more immersive. Whereas Madden, EA’s NHL franchise, Call of Duty, and Assassin’s Creed often find themselves at the wrong end of staleness jokes, NBA 2K finds a way to make subtle, smart tweaks to its already rock-solid formula. 7 for Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 and PC.įollow Brian Mazique, aka FranchisePlay, the Sports Video Game Journalist.The NBA 2K series seems to be the one annualized console franchise that avoids all of the negative criticism that comes with releasing a game every year. NBA 2K15 officially releases in stores on Tuesday, Oct. There are a few other discrepancies between the two lists. Both extremes, and the complicating factors between them, play a part in his ranking, which is lower than his talent might warrant.īecause those types of issues may not impact your gaming experience-though there are personality attributes included in the game-perhaps that's why Rondo got more respect in NBA 2K15. The complete Rondo, however, can't be contained so neatly in a highlight reel, not when he drifts, mails in games and comes with a mess of baggage. He makes jaw-dropping plays through magnetic creativity. He led the NBA in assists in back-to-back seasons. 40. Golliver and Mahoney take into consideration Rondo's questionable temperament and the aforementioned on-court laziness. NBA 2K sees Rondo as the 22nd-highest-ranked player in the game.
He also can be a bit lazy with his foot movement, which instead results in reaching to poke the ball away. That said, when it comes to on-ball defense, Rondo isn't the best.īecause he's slight, he can be bodied. The latter has resulted in 1.9 steals per game over his career. Rondo is one of the NBA's premier playmakers and a gambler on defense. In fact, he recently broke his hand and will miss six to eight weeks, per Baxter Holmes of the Boston Globe. It's true, Rondo has battled injuries over that time.
When you have a point guard who isn't a good shooter and has failed to lead his team to the postseason the last two seasons, there's reason to believe he isn't elite. Rondo is another star whose place among the league's best is debatable. Perhaps that's what Stauffer did when he placed him at No. That leaves Westbrook as the guy to take the cut. That said, if Westbrook is really the fourth-best player in the league, how could he and the second-best player fail in the postseason? I don't think there's anyone that would demote Durant in the rankings. To be honest, it's difficult to imagine how a guy who put up those types of numbers wouldn't be considered one of the league's top five players. Westbrook averaged 21.8 points, 6.9 assists, 5.7 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game. According to NBA 2K15, Westbrook will only be 16th. They have him listed as the fourth-best player in the NBA. Golliver and Mahoney believe Westbrook is truly elite.
Some chide him for being too much of a ball hog, others appreciate his blend of fire, speed and explosiveness. Sports Illustrated Top-100 Listįans are usually split on Westbrook.