Odom is key for Lakers

I have a plane to catch to Boston.

But before I go, the question: Is this a trip worth taking?

Are the Lakers going to bring their very best game with them, or was it all about "Not In Our House" as they kept flashing it on the scoreboard -- preventing the Celtics from celebrating here?

Do the Lakers have what it takes to win two tough, hand-to-hand combat games in hostile territory?

I believe Lamar Odom holds the answer.

Now I really don't like to rip Odom.

That's why I write so often about Kobe Bryant.

But I think I can make a good argument the Lakers will rise or fall in Boston as Odom goes, and how scary is that given his up-and-down play?

Bryant will do his thing, although it's a mystery what thing he was doing Sunday night, scoring 15 points in the first quarter and then 10 the rest of the way.

Pau Gasol showed some toughness, the Celtics playing without their starting center, so how tough does that really make Gasol? On the road, if he plays physical, he'll probably be hit by a few more fouls, and hard to believe he could do any more whining.

The bench has all but disappeared, contributing 17 points, 11 of those from Jordan Farmar, and can anyone really count on one of the reserves making the difference in Boston?

I'm not even going to mention Vladimir Radmanovic, because I think I'll wait first to see if they assign him a seat on the team plane.

Odom is the wild card. When he goes aggressively to the basket and finishes -- and is there any player in the league who rims out more shots than Odom? -- the Lakers are almost unstoppable.

Odom had 11 rebounds in Game 5, scored 20 points on eight-for-10 shooting, and contributed four blocked shots. That's NBA Finals big-time play.

But who knows what the Lakers will get from him in Game 6?

"Do you have a working title for your new book, and do you think by the time you are done with that book you will be able to explain Odom's inconsistency?" I asked Coach Phil Jackson before the game.

"The answer to both questions is no," Jackson said.

After the game, Jackson told the media, "One of our writers here was questioning his ability to rebound and come back after [Game 4], but Lamar is very resilient."

While Jackson has to learn to listen to questions better, ask Odom about his lack of consistency, and the first time around he acts as if he can't even hear the question.