Despite the struggles that NBA 2K is facing right now, the development team has still hit it home with presentation and commentary the past few years. The team of Kevin Harlan and Clark Kellogg, with recent additions Steve Kerr and Doris Burke, has become the so-called Holy Grail of sports video game commentary and everyone knows it. But when will 2K set the bar even higher? Even though they’re the best doesn’t mean that they can’t be better, which is exactly what they should do.

In NBA 2K14, the commentary is slowly becoming – dare I say it – stale.

After playing so many games it’s what should be expected, but hearing the same lines over and over, especially when you play quick game on next-gen (andhalf the time it’s all you can do). But my biggest gripe with the commentary lies after the first 82 games – the playoffs.

The NBA Playoffs, to any die-hard hoops junkie, is a three-month long Holiday event. The world’s best athletes on the world’s biggest stage. It reeks of epic. So shouldn’t everything about 2K’s playoffs be just as epic? The stadium crowd and sounds have definitely improved after atmosphere used to be one of the series’ biggest problems, but now it’s safe to say that we need more. That’s where adding more postseason-specific commentary comes into play. Commentary from the season, our season, that just finished.

The announcers don’t make a Game 6 feel like a Game 6. Hell, they don’t even make you feel the pressure of an elimination game. All four of 2K’s broadcasters show great emotion during other moments during the game, but that needs to be ramped up to a brand new level once the postseason stretch begins. As a Game 7 progresses, I want to hear the booth talk about how Miami staved off elimination because of Ray Allen’s gorgeous, career-defining moment. I want to see these storylines that we create in our Association (or My GM) matter when the game is being played. Don’t you want to hear people talk about how you changed the course of the NBA? You're a gamer with stick skills. Be proud of your own career-defining moments.

Take-Two is showing signs of life from a presentation stand point, though. In 2K14 on next-gen, the Real Voices are a nice touch even if it needs a lot of work. And I’ve been told that we can expect major improvements with RV as the series progresses further. Possibly as soon as next year.

The series should also revamp the overall presentation we see so often during games. On the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, the integration of the overlays during gameplay become a nuisance and feel laggy. And it gets old when you have to see the same rebounding leaders game after game – switch it up a bit more? I remember a day when skipping through the added tidbits was rarely done. Now, not so much.

What NBA 2K built on the last-gen consoles was created from a solid foundation and turned into the best NBA sports series to date. Now it’s time to take that finished product from last-gen and have it become the foundation of next-gen. And it all starts with the NBA Playoffs, and allowing you to be able to feel the pressures and thrills of a Game 7.

What would you like to see added, or changed, in NBA 2K’s presentation and commentary?