Will the Lakers Feel the Pressure?

The Lakers come into the 2009 NBA Finals against the Orlando Magic as the favorites. Back in October, many believed the Lakers would be playing in June, and sure enough, here they are.

The Magic, on the other hand, weren't expected to be here. It was supposed to be the Cavaliers, and if it wasn't them, then it was supposed to be the Celtics.

But the Magic are here and fully deserving – even if we're not sure what to expect from them.

Five questions heading into Game 1:

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1. Who will make the first statement of the series?

There is always the chance that both teams spend a good portion of tonight's game feeling each other out and seeing what the other guy is all about. That's what Game 1's are for.

But this series also has two big-time stars – Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard – and it wouldn't be surprising to see each of them try to put an imprint on the game early. Bryant loves to set a game's tone, and he can do that whether he comes out firing or deferring.

Howard is the most important newbie in this series and it will be interesting to see how he reacts to Finals Appearance No. 1. It seems perfectly logical that the Magic would try to go to Howard early and often to see if they can get something established from the get-go.

2. Will the Lakers feel the pressure?

On the surface, the Lakers should have the edge with experience. On the other hand, as the favorites they have to deal with expectations. Much of the talk surrounding this series centers on Bryant and his quest for winning title No. 4.

We know Bryant will handle that pressure. But our question is this: Will Bryant's teammates feel the heat and get a little tight because they know how important another championship is to him?

3. How effective will Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol be?

The Lakers must prove early they can keep Howard under control. Ditto for the Magic and Pau Gasol.

Andrew Bynum has the big body and the athleticism to deal with Howard, but he's still going to need help. How much help is what's important. Obviously, the less help the better for the Lakers.

Gasol is going to be interesting for the Magic. Orlando doesn't really have a true power forward to match up against Gasol. That could be an issue. But if either Rashard Lewis or Hedo Turkoglu can hold their own for stretches in the post, it will give Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy one less thing to worry about.

Otherwise, Gasol's effectiveness is likely to be a series theme.

4. Will Jameer Nelson's return help the Magic?

It absolutely could, although Nelson won't play in Game 1. The rest of the series is also in doubt, but we say if Nelson can play, he should. There seems to be a feeling that the Magic risk messing with their chemistry if they bring Nelson back. Nonsense. The guy has been around the team the whole time he's been injured, and no one questions his ability to be a leader.

Besides, we're not talking about Nelson playing 30-plus minutes per game. But what Nelson may be able to do is play six to eight minutes per half and spell Rafer Alston. You think that wouldn't help? You've got an All-Star at your disposal against the Lakers, why wouldn't you want to use him?

And don't forget, Nelson scored 55 points in the two regular-season games against L.A.

5. Which X-factor will be more important: Mickael Pietrus or Lamar Odom?

Mickael Pietrus had a nice series against the Cavaliers, and truth be told, was better offensively than he was defensively. Pietrus is not a lock-down defender, but he can have stretches of effectiveness and he's going to need to have them against Bryant.

But he's still got to make shots at the offensive end, which he certainly did against Cleveland.

Lamar Odom is sometimes criticized for his one-good-game, one-bad-game routine. The Lakers still might be able to get away with that kind of uneven performance in this series. But if Odom is consistent – and more important, consistently good – it's tough to see the Lakers losing.