Reviewing the best NBA 2K17 MyTeam ‘Moments’ cards so far

We’re six flights in, and it’s time to take stock of the offerings we’ve seen in NBA 2K17’s “Moments” collection—a week-to-week, constantly updating selection of cards fashioned after the latest and greatest individual performances in the 2016-17 NBA season.

 

The following are the best Moments offerings we’ve seen so far.

 

Have yourself a night, Anthony Davis.

Gold Emmanuel Mudiay debuted on Nov. 7—the day after the second-year Nuggets guard poured in 24 points in a single quarter against the Boston Celtics.

 

Mudiay scored inside and out against Boston, and his Moments card sees some nice bumps to three-point and inside scoring, as well as a lift in athleticism.

 

Key Attributes: Driving Layup (85), Open Shot Three (78).

The Dagger and the Swagger. Emerald Moments Marc Gasol is a perfectly solid center with a KAT-ish twist from deep, but his card is worth owning for the photo alone.

 

Key Attributes: Open Shot Three (80), Offensive Rebound( 54).

 

Hassan’s most slapping-est, block-iest Moments card yet. Get you some boards, some blocks, and buckets with Emerald Moments Whiteside.

 

Key Attributes: Block (95), Offensive Rebound (92).

Harrison Barnes has been a Moments machine in the early NBA season, earning two cards and shutting up a large portion of the “This dude is well-paid garbage” noise that cropped up after his tough-sledding in the Finals this summer.

 

That guy is (mostly) gone, and what’s left is Barnes as reflected in his latest Moments card: a versatile small forward and skilled mid-range shooter who can lead a team in scoring on any given night.

 

Key Attributes: Off-Dribble Mid-Range Shot (85), Open Shot Three (86), Offensive Consistency (80).

A career night and a really solid card for his trouble.

 

Emerald Moments Kristaps arrived after Porzingis lumped a career-high 35 points on the Pistons earlier this month. He’s got a solid three-point shot and hefty block potential. Enjoy him now and pray for a Sapphire with B+ three-ball somewhere down the line.

 

Key Attributes: Open Shot Three (85), Shot Close (84), Block (85).

SHOOT. THAT. BALL. YOUNG. MAN.

 

Of all the second-year dudes, I am most certain Devin Booker is getting to at least an amethyst card this year.

 

Key Attributes: Hands (85), Off-Dribble Shot Mid-Range (82), Hustle (84).

 

Score 47 points and you, good sir, get moments card. 

 

Wiggins ate the Lakers alive in the first half of November, running the floor, blocking shots and hitting pull-up jumpers for 47 points. His resulting card is a bouncy, all-around scorer with enough perimeter defense to be serviceable. 

 

He may not be an every-down, every-game player, but if you need somebody to guard a lengthy, athletic wing and still have polish on offense, Big-Time Wiggins is the way to go.

 

Key Attributes: Open Shot Three (81), Draw Foul (95).

 

No defense, but plenty of knives and daggers in tow.

 

Emerald Moments C.J. McCollum is the bucket machine, and his lopsided 88 overall offense (the highest I think I’ve seen for an emerald card) tends to pay off more than it doesn’t in formats like Blacktop. 

 

Key Attributes: Open Shot Three (94), Shot IQ (88). 

If you need to score in the paints and punish a clumsy shot-blocker with solid post moves, get you some Sapphire DeMarcus Cousins, who pairs scoring with reasonable rim protection and more than serviceable rebounding against all but the most lengthy and athletic glass cleaners.

 

Note: he will be called for 5,000 fouls, so have a backup plan.

Key Attributes: Offensive Rebound (80), Open Shot Three (77), 

 

Scored 34 points in the first quarter of Cleveland's Thanksgiving Eve (is that a thing?) matchup against the Trail Blazers—a night he stroked eight of 12 threes for a total of 40 points.

 

It was a silly scoring game for Love, and voila—a silly-good scoring Moments card with plenty of rebounding is your prize. 

 

Key Attributes: Open Shot Three (90), Contested Shot Three (87), Open Shot Mid-Range (84).

Hot off the presses and not yet part of my stable, but Ruby Moments Damian Lillard is the latest and greatest iteration of Dame Dolla so far. 

 

If Lillard keeps up his big nights, we’ll be looking down the barrel of a diamond card before year’s end.

 

Key Attributes: Shot IQ (98), Open Shot Three (89), Draw Foul (86).

LaVine’s second Moments card of the season, and definitely his best. Emerald Zach LaVine continues what is quickly becoming a foolishly underrated line of Blacktop-streamlined weapons.

 

Like the KAT emerald, Zach LaVine’s Moments cards plays way above its rating and can find a home in any starting lineup thanks to his knock-down three-point shooting and athleticism—just don’t expect him to lock people down Klay Thompson-style.

 

Key Attributes: Vertical (97), Open Shot Three (87), Contested Shot Three (83).

We were all waiting for it, and finally got our wish: Steph raining down 46 points on the Pels on Nov. 7 and getting the juiced Moments card we needed.

 

Ruby Steph is sapphire Steph on offensive steroids, which means better shooting and the same, sloppy perimeter defense you know and do not love.

 

For me, that steep defensive decline puts a bit of a damper on the offensive titan that is Ruby Curry. It should be noted I've been running Sapphire and Ruby Moments Westbrook at point, who can’t shoot from deep to save his life but is hyper mobile. So it could be just the drastic change in style bothering me.

 

That being said, at the very least, Ruby Steph is a must-have card to keep in the can for Blacktop purposes. Once you juice him up to 99 open three with the right shoes…well, good night.

 

Key Attributes: Off-Dribble Shot Three (95), Contested Shot Three (95), Contested Shot Mid-Range (82).

The three-point spitting monster that was given life after Durant’s first game against OKC as a Warrior. 

 

You might remember that Durant—the one who blocked and drained everything against his former team, overwhelming an equally pissed off but out-manned Russell Westbrook in what looks like will be the one-sided rivalry we all feared it would be. 

 

But yeah, Sapphire KD—get it, enjoy it, love it, tuck it to sleep at night. I have him coming off the bench and dominating second line small forwards who can’t keep up or close out. 

 

Key Attributes: Contested Shot Three (86), Off-Dribble Shot Three (85), Pick and Roll Defensive IQ (74).

Honestly, I can't remember which game this Westbrook Moments card is based on anymore, because the man has had so many triple doubles already it could be any of them.

 

Suffice it to say, however, I've enjoyed Ruby Westbrook a lot despite his inability to hit anything from deep. He’s just fun to control, and a solid upgrade from his also-fun Sapphire Moments card. Simply put him in and direct him at the basket. You (usually) won’t be disappointed, and he’ll probably out-rebound your bigs.

 

Key Attributes: Draw Foul (90), Contested Shot Mid-Range (82), Defensive Rebound (82).

Finally, the Ruby LeBron cometh. 

 

It feels like all I’ve wanted since 2K17’s debut has been a better LeBron James. The sea of Sapphire starter ‘Brons becoming a sad sight in Auction, but that ended on Wednesday as the King heaped 31 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists on the Trail Blazers. 

 

I currently don’t have Ruby Moments LeBron in my starting rotation, because he's brand new and running +100K MT right now, but he’s first on my list of pickups. Any LeBron that can shoot a halfway reliable three-ball while retaining all of his physical dominance is more than worth having on your team.

 

Key Attributes: Contested Shot Three (74), Passing Vision (92), Driving Dunk 85.

The first ruby Moments card and, in my opinion, the best Moments card to date.

 

Ruby Moments Anthony Davis is our collective gift for AD scoring 45 points and grabbing 17 rebounds against the Warriors in late October. Davis was also the first player to have two Moments cards (I think), thanks to him entering the season in all-out goliath form. 

 

Going by 2K’s increasing tier form, Davis is my favorite to reach a diamond-level card first out of all current NBA players. That card, of course, will be unstoppable, as the Ruby level Davis is already a rebounding, shot-blocking and scoring machine, who can outshoot his D rating from deep if you have a decent feel for release. 

 

Cherish your ruby Davis. He is a glory to behold.

 

Key Attributes: Offensive Rebound (80), Defensive Rebound (91), Open Shot Three (74).