Tiago Splitter rated 77 overall in NBA 2K15

Tiago Splitter has come a long way in his time wearing the silver and black, and his rating on NBA 2K15 will reflect that.

Splitter will see his overall rating increase from 70 in NBA 2K14 to 77 in 2K15, according to a leak that surfaced yesterday. One of the best rim protectors and one-on-one defenders, Splitter's defense is a big reason for the Spurs' championship run.

The Spurs received a rough wake-up call in the first round of the playoffs against the Dallas Mavericks, but Splitter kept Dirk Nowitzki in check and made him hustle hard for every basket. Same goes for his efforts in the second round against LaMarcus Aldridge and the Portland Trail Blazers. Tim Duncan is best suited to patrol the paint now, which means Splitter is the man who takes on stretch 4's.

Splitter's defensive ratings are so good that you might be tempted to play him more often than you should. There are certain situations that don't call for as much Splitter as others, such as when the Spurs faced the Thunder and the Heat. Playing those teams required a stretch 4 like Boris Diaw instead. The Spurs exploited the Kendrick Perkins matchup against OKC with outside shooting, and the team also needed as much floor spacing as possible against Miami, something Splitter can't offer.

Splitter's offensive capabilities on 2K15 may take some time to get used to. Having no outside shot, his production on offense will come via passing and inside scoring. Learning different scoring moves in the paint takes more effort than hoisting a jump shot, so you will have to focus more with Splitter if you're committed to making him a viable scoring option.

No matter his limitations in the video game, Splitter is a great fit in reality and the Spurs benefit greatly from it.