"Back in training camp, Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom stayed after practice one day for Gasol to teach Odom how to lower his left shoulder and drive his defender far enough under the hoop so that even he with the very weak right hand could just flip up an uncontested shot right-handed. After some test runs, the bubbly Odom was so appreciative for the trick that he walked over and slapped Gasol's unraised right hand with his, bringing a quick smile to Gasol's face.

Andrew Bynum would sit out all of training camp and the season's first 24 games because of a delayed knee surgery and a longer recovery time because the procedure was done in a way to maximize the longevity of Bynum's right knee joint. Gasol and Odom both performed sensationally until their noodle arms wore down carrying the load in the frontcourt where both Theo Ratliff and Derrick Caracter were unplayable.

Yet Gasol and Odom did not grow selfish or bitter.

Odom was unabashedly dreaming of the first All-Star berth of his career, but behind the scenes he was only encouraging Bynum and assuring him that whenever he was ready, the starting post would be his again, no questions asked.

And when Bynum's right knee buckled yet again in the penultimate game of the regular season, Gasol did not groan or panic. He actually said of the injury-prone Bynum, "Andrew's a tough guy," choosing to stress the very real contributions Bynum made last postseason with that torn cartilage turning his knee into a balloon.

There is a team within the team. No NBA team can come close to having three skilled and big men like Bynum, Gasol and Odom. And so they have developed a union in which they all respect each other, cover for each other's soft nights and enjoy their individual identities as the All-Star, the reality star and the future star.

But if they're three musketeers, they can't be all for one and one for all – because all three never play at one time. Jackson's aversion to playing Odom at small forward guarantees that two of the three are on the court at all times for the Lakers.

And so you see how the Lakers could win a face-saving Game 2 Wednesday night against New Orleans with Gasol letting everyone down even after Kobe Bryant had said "I have no doubt" Gasol will bounce back and Phil Jackson said Gasol has "always risen to the challenge."

Bynum and Odom played well, and it was more than enough."