NBA FINALS: GAME 3

Times staff writer Barry Stavro breaks down the keys to the Lakers’ bouncing back in Game 4::

The Lakers’ big three, Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom, above, disappeared on the boards, getting outrebounded by Dwight Howard, Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis by a miserable 25-9. Obviously, the Lakers must be more aggressive on the glass. The Lakers continued to do a good job denying Howard easy dunks and making him shoot free throws, but the Magic responded by kicking the ball out to Turkoglu, Lewis and Mickael Pietrus, who all had good shooting games. The Lakers need to tighten their defensive rotations so the Magic doesn’t get so many open shots. Kobe Bryant also hogged the ball during parts of the game, as in the Rudy T. era; the team does best when he doesn’t force shots.