Lakers are at their best when Odom plays up to potential

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Fact: Kobe Bryant is the best basketball player on the Los Angeles Lakers.

Whew! Glad to clear up that debate. But here's a new one:

With L.A. trying for one goal this season, to win an NBA title, Bryant isn't the X-factor. Neither is Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum nor Derek Fisher. Rather, that distinction goes to Lamar Odom.

It's simple really — and this is true regardless of whether Bynum is in the lineup or injured: When Odom is at his best, the Lakers are the best team in the league. Better than their Western Conference rival Spurs. Better than the defending-champion Celtics.

And as they showed Sunday afternoon in Cleveland, better than the Cavaliers.

Even when No. 24 isn't feeling right.

While Bryant was vomiting before the game and chillin' — literally — during it, Odom was lifting L.A. almost single-handedly, making the Lakers the first team to win in Cleveland this year.

The Cavaliers will have to settle for a 23-1 start at home.

But back to Odom. If Phil Jackson actually had some hair with color remaining, it would likely turn gray quickly because his 6-foot-10 power forward's performances define hot and cold.

One night, he'll attack the basket with his long frame, he'll grab all the key rebounds and he'll intimidate opposing players trying to score on him. The next night, he'll be unassertive offensively and get into foul trouble.

Against the Cavs, the nation got to see "Good Lamar." He was all over the floor, taking control of the offense with Bryant in no mood to pull an M.J, a la Game 5 of the 1997 Finals.

Plays ran through Odom. Rebound after rebound were snatched out of the air by Odom. The game was won by Odom.

The veteran finished L.A.'s 101-91 victory with 28 points on 13-of-19 shooting, grabbed 17 rebounds and blocked a shot.

But the most telling number is that when Odom was on the floor, the Lakers were +9 points. Check that final score again — he was the difference.

And Odom could be the difference between another season that ends just short of the Lakers' ultimate goal or the first post-Shaq title for Bryant.

Yes, even as a bench player.

If Bynum returns healthy and retakes his place in the starting five, Odom will return to his sixth-man role. But don't think that diminishes his importance.

Just look at the Spurs' dynasty of the past 10 seasons. They definitely wouldn't have won at least the past two titles without Manu Ginobili coming off the pine, sparking them with highly difficult shots and hustle plays.

Every championship team needs a difference-maker off the bench. Odom, L.A.'s second-most talented player, could be that guy for these Lakers.

As good as Gasol and Bynum are, they don't touch the ball nearly as much as Odom. That's because even with his size, he's a good ballhandler and he's strong when he takes the ball to the basket.

Odom is a guy whom you can give the ball to on the perimeter and let him create. Especially when Bryant is out of the game (or sick), Odom is needed to do such a thing.

He also possess a great ability — and athleticism — to rebound. Between their three big guys, the Lakers should be able to dominate games by outrebounding opponents. And nothing is more deflating than playing 20 seconds of good defense only to have to face another 20 seconds.

Odom gave the Lakers plenty of extra possessions with seven offensive boards Sunday against a strong Cleveland front line. Sans Bynum, the Lakers tied the Cavs with 42 boards apiece.

We all know how Bryant can take over a game.

In Cleveland, his very talented teammate picked up the slack.

It's something Odom is capable of doing on a consistent basis — starting or not.

It's something his team will need if it wants to have an L.A. parade come June — sick Kobe or not.

Celtics' Game 4 comeback the front-page NBA story

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There will be a time for the questions, for the conspiracy theorists to voice their ludicrous theories.

That time could begin as soon as Monday morning. And a thorough inspection of the NBA's referees is in need -- don't get me wrong.

But Thursday night belonged to L.A. and Boston, the Lakers and Celtics, the best rivalry in NBA history. And Game 4 lived up to that rivalry's past heroics.

A game might have been altered in 2002, but the refs weren't even noticed on Thursday, which is what should be the case every time two teams step foot on the hardwood.

There was no doubt -- none whatsoever -- as to who decided Boston's thrilling, unbelievable, remarkable, inspirational 97-91 comeback victory.

Let me start with Paul Pierce, the unquestioned leader of the Celtics. At halftime, trailing 58-40, Pierce asked his coach, Doc Rivers, to let him guard the NBA's most valuable player.

Rivers agreed to put Pierce on Kobe Bryant, and No. 34 in green responded with an effort that left him out of breath at the finish. His third-quarter block of Bryant was one of the premier defensive plays of these two-month-long playoffs.

Let's talk about Ray Allen. Two series ago, he had the confidence of a science club student on the dance floor. But in the waning seconds, it was Allen who waved off a screening Kevin Garnett, blew by Sasha Vujacic and finished a game-icing layup with his off hand.

And that was after playing the entire game. He must work out.

I have to talk about James Posey, because all he does is making winning plays. The average NBA fan wouldn't recognize this Xavier graduate on the street, but any Musketeers fan has to be proud of what he's accomplished in the NBA. Shaquille O'Neal has said that Miami couldn't have won the 2006 championship without him, and this series would be knotted 2-2 if not for Posey's shooting touch.

Playing with five fouls the final 14-plus minutes, Posey hit one big 3-pointer after another, including a falling-into-celebrity-row swish that gave Boston a 92-87 lead. It was the performance of a John Paxson, a Robert Horry -- 18 huge points off the bench.

And I'd be remiss not to mention Eddie House, who at times has been relegated to the Celtics bench for entire playoff games, forced to sit with his minute kid, who never misses a big game and serves as a refreshingly non-scantily-clad cheerleader. With Rajon Rondo both hurting and unable to knock down an outside shot, Rivers smartly went to a lineup full of shooters.

It was the coaching move of the series, and the Lakers had no answer for a Boston five featuring Pierce, Allen, Posey and House to go with the jump-shooting big man Garnett. One of the toughest things about completing a big comeback on the road is getting the "over-the-hump" basket, the shot that gives you the lead. House delivered inside the Staples Center, nailing a contested, long two-pointer that put the Celtics up for good.

That was just the climatic moment of a great night for House, who proved that even little, short guys with minimal abilities can make a huge difference on the biggest stage. House finished with 11 big points.

"We just needed guards that they had to stay with," Rivers said, mentioning how good of a help defender Bryant is when Rondo's on the floor.

Trudat, coach.

There is nothing shady, nothing nebulous about what happened in L.A. on this night -- Boston completed arguably the greatest comeback in an NBA Finals game, overcoming a 24-point first-half deficit and an 18-point hole at halftime.

Throughout the day, there was talk about Tim Donaghy. Was he telling the truth when he said two games -- most glaringly Game 6 of the 2002 Western Conference finals, a Lakers win over Sacramento -- were fixed by officials taking orders from the NBA's front office?

Refs were interviewed throughout the day, including ex-ref Ted Bernhardt, who worked the game (and denied any wrongdoing outside of calling a poor game). Commissioner David Stern held another press conference. A media member was asked less than 2 hours before game time what story was garnering more attention, Game 4 or the fixing scandle: He gave the scandal a 55-45 percent edge.

But then the game began. A great first half by the Lakers, spurred by the resurgance of the mercurial Lamar Odom, followed by the comeback nobody saw coming. And any basketball fan, anyone who follows the NBA on a consistent basis, knew that the league is ultimately going to be OK.

Whatever happened six years ago wasn't right. I watched the game. Yes, the Kings got robbed by the refs. They should have swept the Nets in the Finals instead of the Lakers.

And, yes, Dick Bevetta probably needs to retire. He's was one of the other refs to call that game, and, apparently, he has been the basis of most questions asked to other refs and ex-refs. He's 68, he misses calls, and his presence at future games would only raise questions -- and I'm not referring to him unabashedly agreeing to race Charles Barkley at the All-Star Game in 2007 (a race that he somehow lost).

But the current NBA, the 2008 NBA, is just fine. Anyone who saw the product on the court Thursday night can't disagree. It was 10 guys playing their hearts out to win a championship, including the guys in gold. Phil Jackson didn't rip his team afterward. Forget that the Lakers had been outscored 57-33 in the second half and shot just 33 percent from the floor. He was well aware of the Celtics' impact in causing those numbers.

"I didn't think we got so lacadasical," the Zen Master said.

Rather, the Celtics played with an urgency that belied their situation. Many NBA haters say that the league's too predictable, the games easy to call. That theory was thrown under the Hummer in Game 4. The Celtics could have laid down, taken their beating and put all their marbles into a pivotal Game 5.

But then Pierce asked Rivers for the assignment, Pierce made a near-impossible layup for a three-point play, Pierce blocked Bryant's shot, and the comeback was on. It was a heroic performance by the Celtics more than a choke job by the Lakers.

"It was about going out there and competing," Pierce said simply.

Yep, nothing complicated about that. And after the game, after giving his postgame interview, there was no hidden meaning behind Pierce's joyous shouts as he walked down the tunnel, a 3-1 series lead in hand.

It's too bad for the NBA that this is almost over, that very soon there will be no more games until late October.

Because then, appropriately, the focus will shift entirely to the nasty mess that Donaghy has created. And you can only guess as to what new breaking news will hit during the dog days of summer.

But Stern has this going for him -- the NBA is full of great teams, great players and some pretty good coaches, too.

And when games are in session -- and special moments like the Celtics' comeback occur -- they take center stage.

Kobe's Lakers will win the NBA title -- and probably a few more

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I never thought the moment would come when I would lose all my faith in the defending-champion San Antonio Spurs.

Even prior to Game 5, with the Spurs facing a 3-1 series deficit and a road game in L.A., I told the mailman Thursday afternoon, "I'm not counting them out." And I certainly felt that way when I turned on the game midway through the second quarter and saw San Antonio 33, Los Angeles 16.

But as the game progressed, I realized the Spurs' fate. They would lose that lead, and lose the series and, ultimately, probably not win another championship with their current core.

Thank Kobe Bryant's Lakers for this.

When the season began, there were so many questions swirling around Bryant and the Lakers. The one nobody was asking: "Does this team have a chance to win a championship?" (If asked, the answer would have been a resounding, "Nope.")

One thing I was wondering: "Is Kobe Bryant the best player in the NBA?" What with LeBron James coming off his first NBA Finals appearance at the ripe age of 22 and even Dwyane Wade already blinging a championship ring, I had serious doubts.

Not anymore. Bryant is clearly the best player in the association, and, not coincidentally, he plays for the best team.

Don't get me wrong -- either Boston or Detroit will give the Lakers a great series, a Finals David Stern has been hoping for. But the difference will be Bryant.

He has an unbelievable feel for the game that he used to lack. Remember Game 7 against Phoenix two seasons ago? Bryant basically quit, refusing to shoot the ball during an embarrassing blowout. Now, at 29, Bryant knows when he must take over a game offensively and when to get his teammates involved.

And when he gets that fierce look in his eyes, he's virtually unstoppable. Bruce Bowen is supposed to be one of the league's best defenders. Bryant made him look old and slow in scoring 39 points from all over the court in LA's 100-92 victory.

It was a case of good defense getting beat by extraordinary offense.

Bryant could pull up and shoot over Bowen whenever he liked. And he could do it from anywhere -- 25 feet or 12 feet. Additionally, he does such a good job of keeping his dribble alive, that double-teams become useless because the big man who creates the double -- Tim Duncan for the Spurs -- can't stay with Bryant. Kobe showed this with a pair of drives right past the two-time MVP Thursday.

What was even more scary in the closeout game, however, was Bryant's fitness level. He didn't miss a minute of the second half, and yet he got better in the fourth quarter. If he can show that kind of endurance on one day's rest, imagine how much energy he'll have when the Finals commence in a week.

Simply put, when the Lakers have Bryant on the floor, they are the better team. The supporting cast is rock-solid, but even when Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol are on the bench, Bryant can control a game.

The only player I've watched in my lifetime whom the current Kobe reminds me of? Yep, you guessed it. (And if you didn't, look up the greatest players of all time.)

There are no weaknesses to Bryant's game. Early in his career, his outside shot needed work. Two years ago, he was called selfish and a bad teammate (and rightfully so) -- heck, people were even saying that after last season.

But something clicked in Kobe's head at the beginning of this season. No, the addition of Gasol didn't make Bryant who he is. It was before that, when Bryant was helpingAndrew Bynum look like a future All-Star. He saw that his teammates were working almost as hard as he was to make the team successful, and he gained a trust in them.

It's obvious that Bryant shares more than supreme talent with M.J. It's their competitiveness that stands out. (If you don't believe me, read this Sports Illustrated article.) That's why both players had a hard time dealing with an underachiever like Kwame Brown. They couldn't understand why he wasn't getting the most out of his ability.

But now, equipped with very capable teammates and one of the NBA's greatest coaches, Bryant has all he needs to play the lead role in this success story. And don't expect the show to end anytime soon. Don't think that Bryant's fourth NBA championship this spring will be his last.

By the time he's hung up No. 24, he might have more rings than a certain No. 23.

Plenty of questions surround improved Lakers

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No, the Lakers are not the "team to beat" in the Western Conference.

Are you kidding me? Some analysts actually believe L.A. — not the Spurs, Suns, Mavericks, Jazz or Hornets — is now the best team in the NBA's elite conference. They're overreacting.

Don't get me wrong. L.A.'s move to acquire Pao Gasol Friday instantly made the Lakers better. I wrote on Christmas that the Lakers are contenders in the West. Now, they're definitely contenders.

But the best team in the West? Well, let's see how Gasol fits into their system.

For now, Gasol will start at center with Lamar Odom playing his normal power forward position, but when star-in-the-making Andrew Bynum returns in March, what will Phil Jackson do with his starting lineup?

He'll almost undoubtedly start his twin towers, Bynum and Gasol, but what about the 6-foot-10 Odom? Will he be moved to small forward? Anyone who watched Odom air-ball a long jumper at the end of L.A.'s loss to Detroit Thursday night knows that he's not comfortable on the perimeter. Odom is shooting 23 percent from downtown this season.

If Jackson goes with Odom, L.A.'s lineup would feature just two players capable of making outside shots — Kobe Bryant (yeah, he's pretty good) and point guard Derek Fisher. Defenses could sag against the other guys, making them knock down 20-footers. Gasol is a decent mid-range shooter, but you don't see teams running out to prevent him from shooting J's.

Much of the Lakers' success will depend on how well Gasol shoots those jumpers. I believe Jackson will place him in the high post once Bynum returns, giving Bynum plenty of room to operate down low. If Gasol can't make 15-footers, he will be an ineffective offensive player.

And, again, what will Odom's role be? Now is the time for Jackson to demonstrate why he's won nine NBA titles. He's got the pieces, he just needs to figure out how to solve the puzzle in front of him.

One thing this move does — undoubtedly — is keep Bryant in L.A. for at least the remainder of his contract and very possibly for the remainder of his career. Gasol, 27, will probably play as many seasons as Bryant does. And he's got Bynum and improving guard Jordan Farmar for several more years.

There will be no more trade requests from Bryant. As he said Friday, "Now it's time to walk the walk."

The pieces are in place.

Meanwhile, no key players were lost. While past trade offers for the likes of Jason Kidd or Jermaine O'Neal — both much older players than Gasol — would have meant giving up Bynum, Odom or both, Mitch Kupchak must have felt relieved to dispose of Kwame Brown's $9-plus million contract.

Javaris Crittenton was another promising point guard, but no better than Farmar and much more inexperienced. We don't know what will happen with Gasol's younger brother, Marc, but it's clear that he's a project. The 2008 and 2010 first-round picks L.A. relinquished will likely be lower picks.

Really, nothing was lost. Now, there are no excuses. It's time for the Lakers to show what they're made of.

Friday's move came off as a bit panicky. L.A. had slipped of late, losing four of five games entering Friday night's game in Toronto. It was transparent that LWB (Life Without Bynum) was taking its toll on the team. So the Lakers acting quickly, making a move that instantly improves them but creates plenty of questions.

Maybe this is part of a grander plan. Perhaps Odom is on his way out of L.A. Could the Lakers still be trying to acquire Kidd?

There remain several unknowns, but one thing can't be disputed: If Gasol plays like the All-Star and Rookie of the Year he's been, the Lakers will be one of the top teams in the top-heavy West.

But the favorite to make the NBA Finals?

Let's not get ahead of ourselves, folks. He's not Wilt Chamberlain.

Lakers overcome distraction, become contender

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It was a Christmas Day Miracle, really.

There were the mighty, high-flying, running-and-gunning Phoenix Suns, the lock this season to win the Western Conference's Pacific Division and roll into the playoffs as one of the top few seeds.

But they weren't the miracle. The miracle workers were the guys in yellow jerseys.

There was Kobe Bryant, the subject of trade speculation for the past eight months. In May, he said he wanted to be traded — for sure — then recanted ... then said he wanted out again.

Leading up to the season, all the talk in Laker Land revolved around No. 24 leaving. Chicago? New York? He was bound for the East Coast.

The discussion continued into the regular season, but somehow the Lakers played through it. While the Chicago Bulls couldn't overcome the Kobe Talk to play half-decent basketball, the Lakers managed to play .500 ball.

And Bryant showed why he's the NBA's best talent, hearing all the whispers in one ear and coach Phil Jackson in the other. On opening night, there he was — almost leading the Lakers back from a 12-point hole in the final minute, 36 seconds.

Say what you want about Bryant's arrogance, his selfishness at times, but you can't say he ever gives up in a game. He didn't on that night, and he hasn't since then.

And while a month and a half ago, I thought the Lakers with Kobe needed another marquee player — such as Indiana's Jermaine O'Neal — to make a serious run in the mighty West, I don't think so anymore. This team, with its current makeup, is capable of challenging the Suns, the Mavericks, the Jazz ... and maybe even the Spurs (OK, probably not the Spurs, but neither can the aforementioned squads).

The main reason: the play of Andrew Bynum, the 20-year-old kid who has grown thick skin and ignored all the clamors by L.A. fans — and the media — that he needs to be traded for a big-name, proven veteran.

On Christmas, the 7-footer was at his best, skying for a slew of easy alley-oops, causing the Suns to play a bigger, slower lineup than usual — and then out-muscling those guys, including Amare Stoudemire, for 12 rebounds. He finished with a career-high 28 points, the dozen boards, four assists and two blocked shots.

And after the Lakers' 122-115 win, don't look now, but ... but ... but a certain team in gold uniforms sits just a game back of the mighty Suns.

And maybe — just maybe — the trade talk has died down for now.

With Bynum averaging 12.5 points, 10.1 boards and 2.1 blocks a game. With Derek Fisher and Jordan Farmar anchoring the point guard position, a veteran leading a youngster who will eventually steal all his minutes. With Lamar Odom and Bynum holding strong in the post. With high-flyer Trevor Ariza and Luke Walton — when he returns from injury — providing a variety of skills at the small-forward position. ... these Lakers, at 18-10 and on a three-game winning streak, look like contenders.

Wait — I forgot to mention one player: um, Kobe Bryant?

That's right. When one can talk about the Lakers without mentioning the longest-tenured player in the NBA, you know there's a little talent around him.

In the fourth quarter Tuesday, it was Kobe Time. Bryant knocked down an array of fall-away jumpers from all over the court to score 12 of his game-high 38. He was the center of the show. The player whom kids are trying to emulate on playgrounds all over L.A. today.

But he's no longer the only show in town, folks. Bynum, Odom, Ariza, Fisher...

Learn the names, kids. Because if this keeps up, they'll be making just as much noise as their celebrated teammate well into the spring.