Role Model

But Pau Gasol scored 36 points in winning his first postseason game and Kobe Bryant rode a late surge to finish with 32, unfairly reducing Odom's outstanding effort Sunday to a footnote, if it was mentioned at all.

That doesn't mean Odom's teammates failed to notice what he did or the contributions he made during the Lakers' successful push for the top seeding in the West.

The 6-foot-10 forward averaged a double-double in points (14.2) and rebounds (10.6, seventh in the NBA) for the first time since 2004-05, his first Lakers season. He adjusted easily to the arrival of the multi-talented Gasol, raising his emotional energy as much as his play.

He also got stronger as the season progressed, shouldering a heavy load when center Andrew Bynum was injured and again when Gasol's sprained ankle jeopardized the Lakers' quest for home-court advantage.

"I see he's motivated. He's definitely motivated," Gasol said. "He goes into games with a great attitude and great activity. I think he's very active with the ball, without the ball, on the boards, defending. I think he's stepping up and he's taking a big role defensively."

Free of shoulder problems that required surgery last spring and kept him out of the first four games this season -- and relieved of the burden of being the second offensive option -- Odom has showcased his passing skills while increasing his rebounding and scoring.

He averaged 13.2 points in 41 games before the Lakers stole Gasol from Memphis and 15.3 in 36 games afterward. Odom's rebounding (9.4 Before Gasol and 12 After Gasol) and assists (3.1 BG vs. 4.05 AG) also improved.

With an average of 9.8 shots per game AG and 10.8 BG, Odom is shooting less but enjoying life more.

"I'll go with the flow. I'm a team player," Odom said Tuesday after the Lakers prepared for Game 2, tonight at Staples Center.

"I kept trying to make plays and facilitate and do what I normally do. Pau's a great player. He's going to make all of us better."

Odom insisted his role wasn't altered by Gasol's arrival and that if his game improved, it's a tribute to the 7-foot Spaniard.

"When you have a guy of his capability, an All-Star-caliber player, the whole team got better," Odom said, ticking his name as well as Luke Walton and Jordan Farmar.