The block and shot contest systems were completely revamped, leading to a variety of new snatch blocks as well as volleyball spikes, which had never occurred prior to. The shot contest rewrite removed all "ghost contests" that many complained about in the past, and this year getting out of Buy NBA 2K22 MT position or not getting a hand in the shooter's face can result in some quick buckets for the offense. However shooting with a proper crowding strategy and great contests will yield tons of airballs as well as bricks and airballs, just as they should.

For floor defenders Body-up rides and bumps feel more satisfying, particularly for those using the PS5 DualSense Wireless Controller because of the tactile feedback. The ability to launch, change direction, stop and cuts feel much more precise, and PS5 players will see a lot less sliding on both ends of the floor because of the improvements made to foot-planting.

Defense was also a main concern for the next generation AI front. The new defensive positioning on-ball allows defenders to be more consistent in their positioning, regardless of their distance from the basket. This, coupled with motion improvements, allowed us to increase the overall defensive positions, which means PS5 players will feel more pressure at the ball, which was not the case in the previous year's game.

The goal this year was to blend the Basic Size-ups and Signature Size-ups and provide every player their own unique experience and feel when they size up, and also give the player complete choice over how their series unfolds. The speed stick that was introduced on PS5 this year will also be back. Therefore, flicking the stick quickly can result in NBA 2K MT quicker dribbles while slower flicks give you more rhythmic ones.