Basketball in the late '90s and early 2000s was a different battlefield. It was physical and gritty. Defenders had an extra weapon — the ability to guide offensive players with their hands.

There was a time when the NBA's hardwood was a warzone of elbows, sweat and pride. Defense ruled and guards learned to survive under the pressure of a palm pressed into their ribs every trip down the ...

The NBA rewired its entire rhythm during its era shift. Somewhere between the bruising '90s and the run-and-gun 2010s, the league outlawed one of its most defining defensive tools, the hand checking.

The New York Knicks were renowned for their tough, physical basketball style in the 1990s. Charles Oakley, one of their leaders, showed bravery, strength, and a strong defense. He never backed down ...