The Credits: "Unleashed"

Finally.

After countless road games, humbling defeats, and downright embarrassing losses, the Los Angeles Lakers competed as one cohesive unit and dominated an opponent away from Staples Center. Best of all, the Lakers defeated the defending champs on their own turf, in front of their fans and on national television. Last year's playoff exit still stings, but beating Dallas twice helps mitigate the hurt.

The Lakers shot a blistering 58% from the field, with Kobe and Pau slicing and dicing for a combined 57 points. Ramon Sessions played the best game of his short Lakers career last night, dropping 17 points and dishing out 9 assists. His ability to control the game, probe the defense, keep his dribble alive and find the open man is a welcome sight that hasn't been seen in L.A for years. Kobe had this to say:

His savvy is really the most impressive thing. A lot of players have speed, but he understands how to change directions and sees the floor extremely well. That’s the thing that makes his speed extremely valuable, is that he can change gears.

I’ve been extremely impressed. He takes a lot of pressure off of me. I can be a legitimate two-guard now. He can playmake for others, before, I had to score and playmake for others as well. I don’t have to do that, I can be on the receiving end of those plays.

Yup, we've all fallen in love.

Elsewhere Around the League, Fisher made his debut against the Clippers, Knicks undefeated under Mike Woodson, Tony Parker injured in Spurs' big win, and Jim Buss wants to hold a live chat today. Today is a good day.

↓ Much more after the jump ↓

Lakers News

• LAL 109, DAL 93: March 21 Running Diary | Lakers Blog
• Jim Buss Live Chat | Lakers.com
• Bryant, Gasol lead Lakers over Mavericks | Lakers.com
• Bryant, Gasol lead Lakers over Mavericks
• Kobe Bryant scores 30, Pau Gasol 27 to power Lakers past Mavericks
• Rapid Reaction: Lakers 109, Mavericks 93 | ESPN LA
• Ramon Sessions: Jelling with Kobe comes with time, reps | ESPN LA
• Ramon Sessions leads Lakers past Dallas, 109-93 | LA Times
• Lakers 109, Mavericks 93 | OC Register
• 100 fans greet Laker Girls at O.C. restaurant | OC Register
• Oklahoma City’s Derek Fisher will keep L.A. as ‘place in my heart’ | OC Register

NBA.com

• Fisher to Oklahoma City, Naturally
• Knicks vs. Sixers
• Blogtable: Bulls vs. Heat In Playoffs
• McGee's dunk lifts Nuggets past Pistons 116-115
• Spurs beat Wolves despite Parker's injury

ESPN

• Derek Fisher now officially a member of the Thunder | ESPN LA
• Knicks stay hot, improve to 5-0 under Mike Woodson
• LeBron James says he'll 'be ready' for next Miami Heat's next game
• John Lucas, Luol Deng sparks Bulls' rally against Raptors
• Tony Parker injured in Spurs' rout of Timberwolves

Yahoo! Sports

• Derek Fisher to make Thunder debut on Wednesday
• Warriors owner: Boos ruined Chris Mullin's night
• McGee's dunk lifts Nuggets past Pistons 116-115
• Bryant, Gasol lead Lakers over Mavericks
• Derek Fisher signs with Oklahoma City Thunder

ProBasketball Talk

• Derek Fisher releases statement on signing with Thunder
• In surprise, Portland claims J.J. Hickson on waivers
• It’s official: Derek Fisher joins Thunder, will play Wednesday
• Report: Spurs frontrunners to land Diaw as free agent
• It’s official — Heat sign Ronny Turiaf for rest of season
• Samuel L. Jackson to do intros at Clippers, Hornets Thursday
• Woodson thinks Knicks have shot at NBA title. This year.

Dime Mag / SLAM Online

• George Karl On JaVale McGee: "He Plays A Little Bit Like Kareem" | Dime Magazine
• Eric Gordon Tours adidas’ adiColor & The World’s Freshest Closet | Dime Magazine
• Jeremy Lin Torches Philly; JaVale McGee Is The New King In Denver | Dime Magazine
• Kevin Durant Goes Hollywood With "Thunderstruck" | Dime Magazine
• Andrew Bynum’s Ejection ‘Irritated’ Head Coach Mike Brown | SLAM Online
• They’ve Got the Jazz | SLAM Online
• The 12 Greatest Individual NBA Seasons | SLAM Online

Blogs and Other Links

• Lakers/Mavericks: We’ve Got a Point Guard! | Forum Blue & Gold
• The Ghost of Lamar Odom Haunts Both Lakers, Mavericks | Lakers Nation
• Lakers Rout Mavericks With Great Team Effort, 109-93 | Lakers Nation
• Clyde Drexler and a Retroactive League Pass Alert | Hardwood Hype
• The super team generation isn’t done | HoopSpeak.com
• Caron Butler is not my favorite | HoopSpeak.com
• Sink or Swim | HoopSpeak.com
• Lakers G Kobe Bryant hits no-look lay-up vs. Mavericks video | Eye On Basketball
• Derek Fisher gets standing ovation in Oklahoma City debut video | Eye On Basketball
• Blazers claim F J.J. Hickson off waivers, release C Mehmet Okur | Eye On Basketball
• Report: Spurs are favorites to sign Boris Diaw after Bobcats buyout? | Eye On Basketball
• Analyzing The Anomalous: Gerald Wallace vs. Cleveland | Shaky Ankles
• Shook Ankles: Why Jamaal Tinsley Is Still Awesome | Shaky Ankles
• Power Ranking: The Best Secondary Units | Shaky Ankles

The Basketball Jones

• Kobe Bryant ditches mask, might sell it to some moron
• Now Jeff Foster is retiring
• Grant Hill zings LeBron after scoring TKO
• Video: Shaq is retiring the name ‘Shaq’

Multimedia

• Mavericks vs Lakers Gallery | Lakers.com
• Season's Best Bloopers
• Video: Joe Johnson sends it to overtime, hits game winner
• Video: JaVale McGee debuts for Nuggets with game-winning putback | Eye On Basketball
• Video: Jeremy Lin > Tim Tebow for better passer in New York | Eye On Basketball
• Videos: Shaq Makes an Appearance on Conan | SLAM Online