Lakers Blow Out Magic to Take Game One in NBA Finals

Kobe Bryant goes for 40 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists as Lakers blow out the Magic Game 1 of the NBA Finals.  The Los Angeles Lakers and Kobe Bryant has waited a year, a long year, for another chance at NBA title. He’s not about to let this one slip away.  The Olympic gold medal was nice. Not nearly enough.

After losing the NBA finals last year, anything short of a 15th title will do for the Lakers.  And with the sensational Bryant out front, they may be on their way.  The last time the Lakers were seen in the Finals, they were heading toward their locker room in Boston last June and summer break after being drubbed by 39 points in a series-ending Game 6 by the Celtics. The renewed rivalry between the league’s superpowers never panned out

Bryant and his teammates have used that humiliation to motivate them all season and throughout these playoffs. They are on a mission. The Magic, who went 2-0 against the Lakers in the regular season, appeared a touch overwhelmed in their first Finals appearance since 1995.  Orlando center Dwight Howard was engulfed by two and three Lakers every time he touched the ball and scored 12 points — 10 on free throws — on just 1-of-6 shooting.  And the Magic’s outside shooters, so deadly while eliminating MVP LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the conference finals, and were off the mark.  The Magic went just 8-of-23 on 3s and shot only 30 percent overall.”We’ve never had a shooting night this bad,” Howard said. “We’ve just got to come out and play a lot harder than we did tonight.”Orlando is facing some daunting odds, too.

Lakers coach Phil Jackson, seeking a record 10th title, is 43-0 in series in which his team wins Game 1.Bryant, who added eight rebounds and eight assists, knows the Magic are still dangerous.