NBA 2K12: Evaluating the Ratings of Laker Stars as Release Date of 2K12 Arrives
October 4th has finally arrived!
After being deprived of the NBA all summer long, finally fans can get back to the hardcourt with Tuesday’s release of NBA2K12.
Sure, it may be the virtual hardcourt, but that doesn’t mean there still isn’t things to debate.
The LA Times didn’t take too kindly to having LeBron James land a 98 ranking, with Kobe Bryant scoring a mere 96. Here was a 2k12 official’s response:
"Given that Kobe Bryant is reaching 33 years old and LeBron and Wade are in the prime of their careers right now, we had to take age into consideration. Kobe is still a great player overall, however.
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That response couldn’t be better actually. Age has to be a factor, and just because James doesn’t play well in the NBA Finals doesn’t mean he still isn’t the most talented player in the game.
That’s the point of the ratings, right? To evaluate every player by the sheer talent they have.
That’s why Pau Gasol (86) is ranked a point higher than NBA Finals MVP Dirk Nowitzki (85) and Amare Stoudemire (88) is higher than both. Again, 2k12 has an explanation that satisfies me:
"Amare had a more dominant 2010-2011 season during his first year with the Knicks in comparison to Pau Gasol. Dirk's overall rating was lower than others because he still remains the weakest defender of the three—which was something we also weighed in our formulas.
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The Mavericks' terrific help-defense helped mask the deficiencies of Nowitzki, and the 2K crew wasn’t fooled. They knew that in a one-on-one matchup against the other top power forwards in the league, Dirk would get beat more often than not.
Last but not least, the discrepancy between Dwight Howard (93) and the second best center Andrew Bynum (79) is insane. The 2K officials have a simple reason for that:
"There's not really a discrepancy—it's more an indication of the lack of true, quality centers in the NBA right now. Specifically, there's Dwight Howard—and then there's everyone else.
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The true center is almost nonexistent in the sport, and it’s a great example of how big of an upgrade Howard would be if he did decide to head to the Lakers.
Enjoy the game and remember how much work and effect goes into every player’s individual ranking.
