Lakers rout Magic 100-75 in Game 1 of NBA finals

Bryant had 40 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, while Pau Gasol scored 16 points. Lamar Odom finished with 11 points and 14 rebounds for the Lakers, who host Game 2 on Sunday.

The Lakers are seeking a 15th NBA title and coach Phil Jackson is going for his 10th, which would move him past Red Auerbach for most all-time.

Mickael Pietrus scored 14 and Hedo Turkoglu had 13 for the Magic, but All-Stars Dwight Howard and Rashard Lewis both struggled and Orlando shot only 29.9 percent from the field.

The last time the Lakers were seen in the finals, they were heading toward their locker room in Boston last June and a 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.

The Magic, who won both games against the Lakers in the regular season, appeared overwhelmed in their first finals appearance since 1995. Not even the return of All-Star point guard Jameer Nelson from a four-month layoff following shoulder surgery could help the Eastern Conference champions.

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 accurate while eliminating MVP LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the conference finals, were off the mark.

"We did a good job on him, but he'll be ready to go Game 2," Bryant said. "We worked very hard on the perimeter, keeping those guys out of rhythm, then we did a good job on him inside — giving him different looks."

The Magic went made just 8-of-23 3-pointers and shot only 30 percent overall. They are facing some long odds, too.

Jackson has won 43 times without a loss in series in which his team wins Game 1.

Bryant, the self-proclaimed "Black Mamba" slithered around Magic defenders with ease. Bryant scored an effortless 18 points in the first half and then took over in the third quarter, scoring 18 of L.A.'s 29 points with an assortment of jumpers, fadeaways and layups.

"We wanted to come out and keep our energy up," Bryant said. "We wanted to stay aggressive and it was my responsibility over the course of the game to keep it going."

With the 24-second shot clock running down on one possession, he froze Mickael Pietrus with a head fake and then sliced between Howard and Rashard Lewis, who looked as if they might applaud him, too. Moments later, Bryant whipped a pass to teammate Trevor Ariza, who buried a 3-pointer to make it 80-58.

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