NBA Live 08: Quick-Strike Ball Handling

Earlier IGN went over Go-To Moves and Own the Paint for NBA Live 08. Now they have put the spotlight on Quick-Strike Ball Handling which you can read in its entirety here. All that remains in the four part series is the Hot Spots, which we'll see detailed on Thursday.

Harvested from NBA Street, the Quick-Strike system allows players to easily chain dribble moves in a smooth and natural-looking way. Rather than relying on complex movements, Quick-Strike is contextual and is focused on letting a pro's ability determine the type of move he'd make in that situation. This, of course, is still heavily reliant on what you do with the Right Thumbstick, but it's no longer about memorizing analogue movements and then chaining them together furiously in hopes of getting to the hole.

The biggest change is the ability to break out of a move at any time. This includes pre-dribble moves. So, you can be at the top of the arc, squaring up a guard, start to hold the ball behind your back, and then quickly slap the analogue stick diagonally to the right and try to make a drive. This is especially helpful for synching up with a pick. You can start a dribble move, see the pick come, and break out of the move to take advantage of your spacing.

Quick-Strike was designed off of two-player scenarios. The defender is as deeply involved in protecting the lane as the ball handler is in trying to get an open look for a good shot. Every time two players face off, it becomes a battle. While the ball handler has a lot of weapons at his disposal, the defender has more options than in previous versions of NBA Live.

This is yet another topic that currently falls under an embargo preventing us from discussing our experience with it for the time being. Check back here on Friday when I'll have full impressions of Quick-Strike Ball Handling, Own the Paint, and Hot Spots.