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There was a lot of activity in the NBA this week, and we're not just talking about the draft. Some of the NBA's big names and better teams were in on it.

Here's a quick look at the trades that went down and what they mean:

The Deal: Phoenix sends Shaquille O'Neal to Cleveland for Sasha Pavlovic, Ben Wallace, a second-round pick in 2010 and cash.

The Thinking: The Cavaliers get an aging O'Neal, with the hope that he can have a productive year playing alongside LeBron James. The only way this trade is a success is if the Cavaliers are the 2009-10 NBA champions. For the Suns, trading O'Neal means that they are beyond tinkering and are leaning toward turning over the personnel of a team that missed the playoffs last season.

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Orlando certainly got the best player (Vince Carter) in its deal with New Jersey today, and new Magician Ryan Anderson is a real catch, too. But beyond stellar youngster Courtney Lee, serviceable big man Tony Battie and solid point guard Rafer Alston, the Nets got another big asset: tons of cap space.

New Jersey will only save about $1 million in payroll for the 2009-10 season. But Carter is the only player in the deal with a contract extending into the 2010-11. (There are cheap team options on both Anderson and Lee. Cheap, as in $1.3 million.) With this trade, the Nets now have less than $20 million committed for the 2010-11, giving the team some $40 million to offer up to multiple free agents, or to use in trades. Yes, the Nets can pull two max players in the vaunted summer of 2010.

The Larry O'Brien itself is plenty of motivation for the participants in the 2009 Finals. But there will also be a few individual goals driving those involved.

Dwight Howard: Everyone marks Kobe as the NBA's preeminent love-him-or-hate-him player, but D-12 earns a fair amount of vitriol, whether for his lack of refinement in the post, his Shaq II free throw stroke, his alleged faux-choir boy persona or the sentiment that slam dunk stardom has rendered the D.P.O.Y. publicly overrated. Let's just say those Patrick Ewing comparisons (ahem) would disappear with a ring.

Hedo Turkoglu: Like kindred spirit Lamar Odom, Hedo will be a free agent signing his last long-term, high-dollar deal this summer. A marvelous turn which began in Game 7 against Boston could land Hedo near the top of the offseason ledger, above everyone but Carlos Boozer. Turk needs a good Finals series to keep that hope alive, though.

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ORLANDO -- Magic guard Courtney Lee has regained his spot in the starting lineup, making him the only rookie starter among the four teams remaining in the NBA playoffs.

Lee, who spent four years at Western Kentucky University, is replacing J.J. Redick, who started all seven games in the conference semifinal matchup against the Boston Celtics but struggled with his shooting.

Five Things takes a look at five things to watch out for in marquee games with playoff implications.

Intensity. Fire. Desperation. These are the building blocks of an NBA Game 4.

ORLANDO -- This was a study in resiliency.

The Orlando Magic were without Rafer Alston, their starting point guard because of a one-game suspension. They lost Dwight Howard, their All-Star center, to foul trouble in the second half. Their other point guard, Anthony Johnson, had a late-game meltdown.

And Boston's Eddie House was on fire.

While everyone waited for the Magic to fade Friday night, they turned to their Twin Forwards, Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu, who carried them to an impressive, 117-96 drubbing of the Celtics.

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A shockingly dominant first half performance. A near collapse. A clanker of Game 2. A suspended point guard. This the Orlando Magic.

A pathetic shot out of the gate. A determined second-half rebound. A dominant Game 2 performance, start to finish. Swagger. Determination. A ring. These are the Boston Celtics.

As we head to Game 3 in Orlando of this seven game series, things are coming to a head. Games 1 and 2 were largely feeling one another out. And if you're a Magic fan, that process did not come out the way you'd have preferred. So what are we looking at in Game 3?

The Orlando Magic will be without point guard Rafer Alston, who will serve a one-game suspension Friday night for slapping Eddie House in the back of the head during in Game 2 Wednesday night against the Boston Celtics. The NBA is expected to make the official announcement later Thursday. The Magic will move veteran backup Anthony Johnson into the starting lineup.

The Magic have been without shooting guard Courtney Lee through the first two games of the series, but he is expected to return for Game 3. The series is tied at 1-1. Lee has been out since Game 5 of the Magic's opening round series against Philadelphia when he was elbowed in the face by teammate Dwight Howard. Lee had surgery to repair a fractured sinus cavity. He will play Friday with a custom fitted face mask.

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On paper, Game 6 looked like a throwaway game for the Magic. Let's face it, not many teams can lose two starters (Dwight Howard to suspension; Courtney Lee to a broken face) and still pull off a win on the road, especially when going against a surprisingly feisty opponent with their backs against the wall.

But instead of following the script, taking their beating and regrouping for Game 7 on Saturday, Rashard Lewis and company reminded the 76ers that there's more to the Magic than Superman and an upstart rookie, clinching the series with a surprisingly easy 114-89 win.

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We showed you the play from Game 5 where Dwight Howard threw a clearly intentional elbow to the head of Samuel Dalembert, after which it was assumed that the act would warrant a suspension.

And in fact, it has. The league wasted little time in reviewing the play, and announced that Howard will be suspended one game without pay for the incident.