That meter indicates the game's intensity. The more competitive the game, the more intense it will be (especially in the fourth quarter). In an intense game, the meter will flash red.
Those indicate areas on the floor where players can perform the PC's version of Go To Moves. Players with gold stars are the old Superstar level players from NBA Live 07's Freestyle Superstars while silver stars indicate Star level players. A player's level is determined by their ratings and in turn determines the moves that they can perform.