SOURCE: Las Vegas Review-Journal

Continued from page 1

Two trades Bryant wanted the Lakers to make never materialized.

Before the season, Bryant requested the Lakers deal him, and the team wisely refused.

Last season, he was angered that the Lakers would not trade young center Andrew Bynum to New Jersey for point guard Jason Kidd, and Bynum has blossomed into a force.

Bryant, meanwhile, is no longer a malcontent.

"Without a sliver of a doubt, the mother of all trades was the Lakers acquiring Gasol," handicapper Jim Kruger (Vegassportsauthority.com) said.

"The addition of Gasol led to other trades in the West like falling dominoes to combat the Lakers' improvement.”

"The Lakers being favored to win the West is justified to me."

Injuries to Bryant and Bynum are the only question marks following the Lakers.

Bryant has a torn ligament in his right pinkie finger, but is trying to play through the injury.

Bynum was sidelined in mid-January by a dislocated left kneecap, and he plans to return in early March.

What's ironic is that if Bynum had not been hurt, Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said the team would not have traded for Gasol.

Page 1, 2, 3, 4