Veteran players of NBA 2K have always understood why blocks (and steals as well) were given such a wide berth years ago. They were literally the only options on defense that prevented offenses from shooting 80% from the field. But times have changed since then. So much gameplay progress has been made. Now there are other options to bother the shots of offensive players. The issue now is that while the game has taken an obvious turn towards skill and timing, blocks (and block timing specifically) is still stuck in 2004. 2K has a great hoops foundation in 2017, there's no longer a need to disregard timing/skill when its required in almost every other area of gameplay.
NBA 2K18 channels the NBA so well this year through visuals and feel. On a visceral level it passes the eye test, as the game flows and looks so much like the NBA. And how about the great fixes to gameplay we saw this year? A much more physical, intimidating paint, and mismatches on the perimeter and in the post are much more obvious now. Lob success was lowered, passing is outstanding and the 3 foot jump shot isn't a thing anymore. Offensive players finish towards the rim if no defender is between them and the basket. My favorite? Green releases are tiered towards open shots.
And this is the reason the lack of importance on block timing stands out so much--skill and timing matter. Here i'll prove it: Watch as I mistime my jump and miss a rebound:
See how that worked? Easy right? I didn't get a charity rebound because I was trying....I missed. And as a result I didn't some tertiary reward--notice how no stat for "rebound attempts" popped up? Nope, I don't get to enjoy the rewards of corralling the ball unless my timing is good. That's just how it works folks....and that's ok.
Now think about it: Skill and timing MATTER when pull the shot stick back and shoot, just like skill and timing MATTER when we throw an alley-oop to a player streaking to the basket. Skill and timing even MATTER when we're doing layups....so how in the WORLD could they not matter when we're attempting to block shots?
They simply HAVE TO matter when users go to block shots. There's literally nothing more important when it comes to getting a swat...it can't be the only part of the game where timing is completely disregarded. It CAN NOT be the only part of the game where it doesn't matter if a player doesn't possess the skillset. Gameplay deserves better, when we pull the shot stick back and see nothing but red on the feedback screen we can't expect good things to happen--the same has to be true when we have bad timing (or the wrong person) on shot-blocks.
So what's good block timing? Glad you asked! Good shot blocks should meet the ball at its highest point or when the ball is extended or about to leave the players hand (for layups) let's look at a few:
The last two plays illustrate varied outcomes and how nothing is guaranteed. Good timing doesn't mean a block, especially with defenders who lack the skill-set. Sometimes the shot will go in regardless and sometimes a foul may be called just like good shot releases don't guarantee a shot will go down.
There's this misconception that bad block mechanics only affect shots in the paint, and nothing could be more wrong. No area of gameplay is left unaffected by how lenient the game is with shot-block timing and success. Here are the top three examples:
1) Post Players: Allowing bad block timing has the most obvious and pronounced affect on post players, in addition to steal spam (which we'll save for later post) ignoring contact fouls robs them of their effectiveness, by not requiring skilled opposition and by denying them FTs where obvious contact should result in a foul. That's insane...we demand post players be skilled but not the people that defend them? I realize that a nice up/under may not be as visually appealing as an ankle-breaker, but it should be no less effective at losing a defender. Falling for Pump fakes should be whistled instantly or result in the defender being completely out of the play:
Instead we see the invisible force field that protects players when there should be obvious contact as the defender attacks the ball--not some animation where they conveniently miss everything. Leaving your feet in basketball is high-risk, high reward. The game is horribly imbalanced when you have the reward when your timing is good....but are protected from consequences when timing is horrible. The last play is an embarrassment for gameplay, the user is spamming block with zero regard for timing and is never whistled--when no less than three fouls gets committed by Howard.
2) Shooters: The refusal to penalize defenders who leave their feet affects shooters the most. While it probably had good intentions, like most hand-holding attempts it only ends up benefiting savvy players, cheese-heads and being a gameplay exploit. Not calling fouls on defenders jumping into our shooters 1) ignores shooting fouls and 2) cheats us of the draw-foul opportunities that are an NBA staple. We've all watched Jordan, Bird, Reggie Miller, Harden and Kobe bait guys into contact to get to the FT line. The force field that protects leaping defenders in NBA 2K from that contact (and subsequent foul) prevents us from drawing fouls and hurts the game, PERIOD. That this aspect of basketball is so rare in NBA 2K18 is an oversight that defies description. But its worse for actual gameplay. Why wouldn't you jump as a defender? You have a chance at a block if you're timing is good and give the shot a contested rating rather than wide open, but also: There's no downside. If you're timing is bad? No foul will be ever be called. Only an idiot wouldn't take advantage of that. It's the safest bet in sports gaming.
Here's what should be happening when defenders jump at shooters:
Instead we see this (unacceptable plays that should be instant whistles)
The most confusing part? The draw foul animation is actually in gameplay, but its so rare that i've only seen it twice in over 100 online games. Think about how many fouls are NOT getting called for it to be that scarce--you literally have to enter the freaking Contra Code in to see it, its the closest thing to a 2K Unicorn. But let's be clear, leaving your feet with bad timing should be an automatic whistle, the skill and timing aspect should be if you get a shot off for continuation. Now I realize that we may not see a fully-fleshed out and BALANCED version of this until 2K19--but do it for the culture, Dev Team. Millions of 2K players will be in your debt as they celebrate digital and-ones nationwide. Anyway, you can check out the Mona Lisa of 2K animations below:
3) Driving: Going to the basket sees contact go uncalled so much its jaw-dropping. And like playing in the post this contact often results in turnovers--giving the advantage to people exploiting the lack of foul calls. There's an blatant wrongness to seeing defenders come down on offensive players, watch them lose the ball and defenders turboing into offensive players (causing turnovers) those are contact fouls and have to get called. That's contact (an exploit) that is defender initiated and the game has to be able to tell the difference. When defenders mistime blocks on driving players they should be quick whistles. The game has to be able to interpret the contact if its outside the block window.
Leaving your feet is a basketball no-no, and mistiming blocks in NBA 2K has to have consequences...the infamous force field that lets defenders jump for a pump fake--but prevents them from fouling you (or leaving good defensive position) has to die in 2K18. Stop protecting players from their bad decisions. With right stick defense players (non-shot blockers, specifically) now have another option to contest shots even though they're not shot-blockers. The physical contact allowed in gameplay is so egregious that it undoes so much of the beautiful basketball we see with the new motion system. These are plays you'd never see allowed in the NBA--the wrongness immediately sticks out to anyone watching. Here the game has to forget Saric is solid so Whiteside isn't called for a foul.
Here our trusty force field makes sure Nurkic doesn't make contact with Embiid...and to add insult to injury 6'3" McCollum (a poor defender at best) blocks a 7 footer on a hook shot. This attempt itself is ridiculous....and there shouldn't be any instance where its successful. CJ's low post defense IQ is 35 and his blocking is a 51.
His timing is good on the first one but 6'4" Tyler Johnson with on-ball blocks in transition (56 rating) isn't very likely--and gameplay has to punish people who use any player outside his skill-set. The second is with horrible timing (before the shot attempt) on a big in the paint. That's laughable. The contrast between these plays illustrates how little block timing affects success.
Dion Waiters with the chase-down block on a 7 footer? Clarkson blocking a 6'10" player in transition? COME NOW.
This play by Rondo from last year perfectly illustrates what should happen in most of these instances--nice play, sure....its a foul tho. User bonuses always end up hurting gameplay in this fashion. Reward user agency by making players successful when they use the right players or right tactics (going for the strip with guards, for example) in the right instances....not when they shoot 15-footers with DeAndre Jordan, because this is the equivalent.
The legacy issue of being forgiving with players leaving their feet has to be reset. Its a band-aid that is no longer necessary, and that gives airborne defenders too much leeway. It's simple--if they get the rewards of rejections with good timing, they get the risks of fouls when they're timing is bad. Some new gameplay expectations we have:
0. Right Stick defense will be able to close distance and should require skill/timing as well. Pointing the stick in any direction is too much leeway. It has to be pointed at the offensive player we want to contest. Let's see great "bottled up" hands up animations on static guys and players pump-faking for balance. This will give users a counter rather than simply waiting to be baited into a foul. Its also necessary to balance out the lame "drive in the paint and spam pump-fake" we know is coming. Let's also see pump fakes more vulnerable to having the ball stripped by AI and user-controlled players. Here's a few examples:
1. Block Timing must have a window and require correct timing like shooting, layups and even rebounding. The goal is to contact the ball at its highest point or as it leaves the hand/is extended.
2. Blocks (and steals as well--but that's another conversation) will target the ball, so bad timing will mean contact fouls.
3. Players who lack the skillset (i.e. low block ratings) will draw fouls at a high rate. Blocks are possible but very, very low percentage. Strips however (within their skillset) should be a viable option for them.
4. Blocks will require a gather before the second jump, the gather should be longer the lower the player's ability (block rating).
5. Players will have the ability to finish through fouls. Meaning the ability to draw fouls should be in the game. It should be timing/skill based. Meaning unless you hit the window correctly it will just be a normal foul.
Well, that's all for now. Until Next time,
Kushmir
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