The photo is by Kevin Kolczynski/Reuters, from NYTimes, here.
During the "regular" season, the play cannot be too aggresive because the human body cannot take it over a far-too-long schedule. In the NBA playoffs, however, you see defense as intense as in the college playoffs. What do you say about the conference finals, about this photo?
Any one of four teams remaining in contention could win the championship - things are that balanced. If you get the big paycheck, your job is to have your hands on the ball, if you don't get the big paycheck your job is to have your hands on someone getting the big paycheck. If you get the big paycheck, you get to wear team color rubber band wrist wear. How many years of college ball are represented in the photo? Take Howard, Garnett, Kobe, LeBron, and McGrady - zero years of college ball among them, and it would be a difficult team to beat - yet now the NBA requires at least one year of college by closing the draft to new high school graduates. Going into the playoffs everyone talked about the finals matchup, Kobe and LeBron. It could be Dwight and Carmelo, we see that now.
Will the T-wolves ever reach an elite level, or is small market a burden they will not overcome? Will the Knicks ever again be a high quality team? Given enough years, well beyond my life expectancy, the answers are probably yes and yes.