The Los Angeles Lakers won Game 1 of the NBA finals on Thursday, beating the Orlando Magic 100-75 behind a dominant performance from Kobe Bryant.

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 per cent 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 team mates have used that humiliation to motivate them all season. The Magic, who won both games against the Lakers in the regular season, appeared overwhelmed in their first finals appearance since 1995. Orlando center Dwight Howard was engulfed by two and three Lakers every time he touched the ball and scored 12 points 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.”