2. The "Redeem Team"

After being embarrassed in two straight Olympiads, the United States was determined to win back the gold medal. The key to doing that was to actually put a team together rather than just a bunch of talented individuals.

Under the direction of Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, the U.S. meshed into an outstanding unit, built for the international game with only one true center, Orlando's Dwight Howard, on the roster. The team included plenty of do-everything wingmen like Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony who all played selfless basketball in helping their country go undefeated in both the preliminary and medal rounds. Two Utah Jazz players, Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer, were on the roster, with Williams being a key contributor off the bench and Boozer staying positive despite limited playing time.

International NBA players also represented their countries well at the Olympics, like Pau Gasol (Spain), Manu Ginobili (Argentina), Yao Ming (China), Andrei Kirilenko (Russia) and many others. Overall, it was a good tournament for the NBA's image worldwide.

3. Big trades

There was a time in the not-so-distant past where NBA teams were reluctant to make major in-season deals, instead hoping to better their teams through free agency and the draft.

But 2008 was different. Several major deals when down before the trade deadline in February and the swapping has continued this season as well.

It got started when Memphis sent Pau Gasol to the Lakers for, among others, the draft rights to his younger brother Marc. Pau Gasol instantly made a good Lakers team the overwhelming favorite in the West.

Then Miami shipped the game's most dominant center, Shaquille O'Neal, to Phoenix for All-Star forward Shawn Marion. Then veteran point guard Jason Kidd was dealt to Dallas, with the key for New Jersey being Devin Harris.

This year's biggest deal saw veteran All-Star guards change places, as Allen Iverson was swapped by Denver for Detroit's Chauncey Billups.

4. Coaching changes

Fourteen. That's how many teams have new head coaches since the end of the 2007-08 season. In other words, nearly half the NBA franchises have coaches that can count their tenure in their current assignments in months or days rather than years.