About the only thing missing from this hyper-realistic game is Spike Lee trash-talking from the Knicks stands (and let’s face it, that’s no big loss). Four hundred NBA pros are here, modeled from stop-motion animations down to the last exacting detail, including signature moves and facial expressions. If Shaq bricks a free throw (shouldn’t have to wait long for that), you’ll see the dismay on his face; if Keith Van Horn catches an elbow, you feel his pain as the announcers describe the injury. And real coaches not only designed the playbooks but stalk the sidelines shouting their, uh, encouragement. Everything is so well-rendered — from the shadow on a Spalding to the arenas — that after you’ve played NBA 2K, most basketball titles will become bench warmers.
