Silver Screen and Roll, a Los Angeles Lakers community

In the 2009 NBA Playoffs, Lamar Odom threatened his usual disappearing act... and then delivered in a huge way, becoming a tremendous factor in the Lakers' 2009 NBA Championship. Here's to him.

Pau Gasol has endured plenty of criticism since the 2008 Playoffs. This year, and especially in the 2009 Finals, he erased all of it, proving himself to be an elite defender, a highly versatile player, and one of the best centers in the game.

From the struggles of Andrew Bynum, Jordan Farmar, Derek Fisher, and Sasha Vujacic, to injuries, lopsided officiating, and daunting odds, the Lakers overcame numerous obstacles to win the championship in dominating fashion.

With a truly dominant performance in the Finals, the Lakers erased any memory of their previous struggles, as they grew into one of the greatest championship teams in NBA history.

The bottom line: Regression to the mean will result in Kobe playing better, the Magic not playing as well, and the Lakers' bigs actually getting a few rebounds. L.A. took Orlando's best shot and nearly won the game; the Magic will play well again tonight, but this time it won't be enough.

Previewing Game 2 of the 2009 NBA Finals, where this is a must-win for the Magic, Kobe Bryant is unstoppable, and Lamar Odom can actually be counted on to deliver.