The Lakers have played so well as a team that you would never realize that they’ve been playing without two starters, but they have. Lamar Odom is the #2 player on this team without Kobe, so the Lakers should take off starting Friday when he returns. Odom is averaging 17.5 points, 8.7 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game this season but somehow the bench players have made up for it. Kwame Brown will also return to the starting lineup. He was a little easier for the Lakers to replace as young Andrew Bynum played well in his absence. But, Brown will be welcomed back as he was averaging 8.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. Brown & Bynum combined gives the Lakers one good center.