With the arrival of "NBA 2K7" for the Xbox 360, 2K Sports and Visual Concepts have once again claimed their rightful spot on top of the basketball world, at least when it comes to video games.

All of this year's games ("2K7," "Live 07" and "NBA 07") are significantly more enjoyable than the class of 06, but"2K7" still manages to slam dunk the competition and win the NBA Finals, largely because its gameplay is outstanding. But despite the control tweaks and the gorgeous graphics, the 2K franchise and the people associated with it have approached a crossroads. Once again, they've managed to release a stellar product, a game that does the NBA justice. But if they don't look to improve, if they continue to pursue the bare minimum when it comes to presentation, they may find themselves on the losing end.

 Just like last year, the gameplay is outstanding and the visuals are great for the most part, but 2K Sports really (pardon the pun) dropped the ball in the presentation category. I like the intro, the first person camera that travels through a neon-lit polygonal city, but everything else, from the music to the commentary is second rate. Much was made about the music, this supposed grand soundtrack featuring tracks from A Tribe Called Quest, Mos Def, and Rhymefest (among other artists) but it's all hype, all fluff and no stuff. A Tribe Called Quest? Are you kidding me? Why don't they just resurrect Kris Kross while they're at it? The music is supposed to pump me up, to get me psyched for some NBA action. Instead, it sends me packing. I appreciate the effort, but I know (through crazy psychic powers) that whatever EA's lined up for "NBA Live 07" will put "2K7's" artists to sleep (in an old cat going to the vet kind of way). That bothers me.

I'm also sick of the dry commentary. It seems like I've been listening to the same lines for the past couple of years. Oh wait! It's because Visual Concepts recycled a lot of the dialogue. Hey, I'm not saying that Marv Albert lights up "NBA Live." He's equally lifeless, but come on 2K! Shell out some dough to get some different people, or at least write a new script. I'm very thankful that I don't have to listen to an Iceman (George Gervin) reference every time someone does a finger roll, but at the same time, some of the phrases that made their way into"2K7" cannot return next year.

 Then there's the pre-, half-, and post-game theatrics. Actually, theatrics isn't the appropriate word because there are no pregame introductions (you just see faces of the starting five), and during the half, Kenny Smith (of NBA on TNT and Houston Rockets fame) doles out awards to the best performing players. But the half-time show looks like something an amateur put together, and considering the amount of talented people in this world (I'm assuming it's a big number), I probably insulted hundreds of amateurs. It's atrocious. And for some strange reason I feel like buying a Toyota. Ah well, at least I don't crave PowerBars.

 The menu navigation is another thing that vexes me. In order to access the menu you have to tilt the right analog stick and the system just isn't user friendly, especially during replays. When I first played I paused and accessed the replay option to get a better look at the players, and instead of being able to rotate the camera with the right analog stick I was greeted by a menu. Whoever thought that up should be riding the bench.

 I'm being really hard on NBA"2K7" but it's tough love. I understand that EA pulled the rug out from under 2K Sports by snagging the ESPN license. But I also know that EA's finally put it to excellent use in its NBA Live 07. The ESPN stuff allows me to get sports news, pod casts, real time scores, and video. I'm sorry, but that makes"2K7" look old and busted, much like a championship team that might get knocked out of the first or second round by an upstart group of fiery youngsters.

Thankfully, despite its woeful presentation, "NBA 2K7's" still got it where it counts beginning with its graphics, which are just gorgeous running on an HDTV. Visual Concepts really screwed up a lot of player faces, but by and large, the character models are fantastic. They've also got a huge handle on the sweat, achieving life-like perspiration that actually drips off bodies, as opposed to the super shine glitter that plagues "NBA 2K6." I'm also a huge fan of the wrinkling foreheads, the animation where you can actually see brows furrow when a player is angry or stressed out. But that's one of many great animations. Not only has Visual Concepts captured player's signature moves and habits (Steve Nash licking his fingers as he brings the ball up-court) but also their individual shots, and I'm talking everybody, from Shawn Marion's bizarre style to Shaq's thunderous slams. It's incredibly realistic, but it's not just eye candy.

You actually have to learn each player's shot. Otherwise, you're going to build me a house with all those bricks. And the same thing applies to the free throw line. This year, there's a crazy huge learning curve with free throws. You're probably going to miss most of them for a little while until you learn how each player shoots. It's akin to mastering a character's moves in a fighting game or driving with a car that you've been tuning for days. You need to know who's on your favorite team, how they move, and how they shoot. Otherwise, you're just going to get your ass kicked.