NBA Finals matchups

An original And 1 baller, Rafer Alston was a mid-season acquisition to bolster the backcourt after All-Star guard Jameer Nelson went down with an injury. Alston has helped deliver an NBA Finals appearance with his leadership. A streaky shooter, he’s only making 38.3% from the field in the playoffs, 35.1% from three-point range.

Postseason averages: 12.7 points, 2.5 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.6 steals

Regular-season averages: 11.7 points, 2.9 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.4 steals   (Amy Sancetta / Associated Press)

Kobe Bryant, the Lakers’ All-Star guard, is widely considered not only the NBA‘s best closer but the league’s best offensive player. The 6-6, 13th-year player out of Lower Merion High in Pennsylvania, is appearing in his sixth championship series and seeking his fourth NBA title.

Postseason averages: 29.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.72 steals

Regular-season averages: 26.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.46 steals   (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Courtney Lee, a 6-5 rookie guard out of Western Kentucky, will have his hands full matching up against Kobe Bryant. Although he made 40.4% of his three-pointers in the regular season, he’s making only 30.3% in the postseason. He is shooting 90.9% (20 of 22) from the free-throw line in the playoffs.

Postseason averages: 8.4 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.0 steals

Regular-season averages: 8.8 points, 2.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.0 steals  (Elsa / Getty Images)

Andrew Bynum, a 7-foot fourth-year center out of St. Joseph’s High in New Jersey, will be a key in the series for the Lakers as he matches up against Orlando’s Dwight Howard. Early foul trouble will force Pau Gasol to guard the Magic’s big man. Bynum is averaging less than 17 minutes a game in the playoffs after averaging nearly 29 minutes a game in the regular season.

Postseason averages: 6.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.0 blocks

Regular-season averages: 14.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.8 blocks   (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Dwight Howard, a 6-11 center out of Atlanta’s Southwest Christian Academy, has the Magic in the finals in his fifth year of play. The NBA‘s defensive player of the year is not a polished offensive player in the post, but gets plenty of scoring opportunities when Orlando uses him in pick-and-roll plays or gets him the ball on the block. His biggest drawback is that he’s making only 64.7% of his free throws in the playoffs, which is better than he did in the regular season (59.4%).

Postseason averages: 21.7 points, 15.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 2.2 blocks

Regular-season averages: 20.6 points, 13.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 2.9 blocks  (Stephen M. Dowell / Associated Press)

Power forward Pau Gasol, a refined 7-footer from Spain with the capability to score in the high or low post or from mid-range, has been exactly what the Lakers expected since arriving during the 2007-08 season in a trade with Memphis -- a dependable second scoring option to Kobe Bryant. He’ll have tough defensive assignments whether guarding perimeter-oriented forwards Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis or rugged center Dwight Howard.

Postseason averages: 18.2 points, 11.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 0.83 steals, 2.0 blocks

Regular-season averages: 18.9 points, 9.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 0.64 steals, 1.0 blocks   (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Rashard Lewis, a 6-10 power forward and veteran of 11 seasons out of Alief Elsik High in Texas, is the Magic’s second-leading scorer this season. Like frontcourt partner Hedo Turkoglu, he can score from the perimeter (39.1% three-point shooting in the playoffs) or by attacking the rim. He’s made 77.7% of his 103 free throws in the playoffs.

Postseason averages: 19.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.1 steals

Regular-season averages: 17.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.0 steals  (Elsa / Getty Images)

Trevor Ariza has made a big impact for the Lakers this season, originally as a reserve and then eventually as the starting small forward. His long-range shooting (50% of three-pointers) has been critical in this postseason run. He’ll have tough defensive assignments against Orlando’s Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu, a pair of 6-10 forwards who have a two-inch height advantage over the fifth-year player out of UCLA.

Postseason averages: 11.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.5 steals, 0.5 blocks

Regular-season averages: 8.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.7 steals  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Hedo Turkglu, the 6-10, ninth-year forward from Turkey, helps the Magic stretch the floor with his three-point shooting (37.3% in the playoffs, 35.6% in the regular season) and often is the featured offensive player late in the shot clock and with the game on the line. He has a solid mid-range game, has the ability to score in the lane or out of the post since he’s usually guarded by a shorter player and can finish with either hand around the rim.

Postseason averages: 15.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.1 assists

Regular-season averages: 16.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.9 assists  (Ron Schwane / EPA)

Swingman Mickael Pietrus, a 6-5 veteran of six years out of France, comes off the bench to provide defense and three-point shooting -- he’s making 39.3% of them in the playoffs. Although Kobe Bryant, like LeBron James before him, will still get his points, Pietrus makes an opponent work for his shots. Often on the floor at the end of games.

Postseason averages: 10.5 points, 2.7 rebounds.

Regular-season averages: 9.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists  (Gary W. Green / Associated Press)

Lamar Odom, a 6-10 forward in his 10th season out of Rhode Island, will get plenty of minutes in this series -- he’s averaging a third-best 31.4 minutes a game so far in the playoffs -- because of the tough frontcourt matchups with Orlando. He’s shooting 51.9% from the field this postseason and 51.9% (14 of 27) from three-point range.

Postseason averages: 12.0 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.4 blocks

Regular-season averages: 11.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.0 steals, 1.3 blocks  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Jordan Farmar, a 6-2 point guard in his third season out of UCLA, provides a spark off the bench with his quickness and ability to penetrate, although he played limited minutes this postseason with newly acquired Shannon Brown playing against bigger point guards in the Western Conference playoffs.

Postseason averages: 5.1 points, 1.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists

Regular-season averages: 6.4 points, 1.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Shannon Brown, an athletic 6-4 guard in his third season out of Michigan State, has played in all but one postseason game during the run to the NBA Finals. He’s shot 48% (12 of 25) from three-point range in the playoffs and bolstered the backcourt defense with his physical play.

Postseason averages: 5.7 points, 1.3 rebounds

Regular-season averages: 4.2 points, 0.9 rebounds, 0.8 assists   (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

Sasha Vujacic, a 6-7 guard in his fifth season from Slovenia, has not had a stellar season and is only playing 12.7 minutes a game in the playoffs. He’s making only 28.2% of his shots from the field and 33.3% from three-point range in the postseason.

Postseason averages: 5.8 points, 1.7 rebounds, 0.6 assists

Regular-season averages: 3.8 points, 1.7 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.0 steals  (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Forward Luke Walton, a 6-8 sixth-year player out of Arizona, has seen his minutes diminish (12.0 per game in the postseason) with the emergence of teammate Trevor Ariza but he still provides a steady influence for the reserves, in particular initiating the triangle offense.

Postseason averages: 3.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists

Regular-season averages: 5.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists   (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Josh Powell, a 6-9 forward-center in his fourth year out of North Carolina State, has seen his playing time cut in half (11.7 minutes a game in the regular season, 5.2 minutes in the playoffs) this postseason. But the rugged big man might be needed to help provide some key minutes against centers Dwight Howard and Marcin Gortat of Orlando in the NBA Finals if teammates Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol run into foul trouble.

Postseason averages: 2.0 points, 1.1 rebounds

Regular-season averages: 4.2 points, 2.9 rebounds   (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Center DJ Mbenga, a 7-footer in his fifth season out of Congo, gives the Lakers another physical inside presence if they’re forced to go deep into their bench, although he’s only appeared in four games this postseason.

Postseason averages: 0.5 points, 0.5 rebounds

Regular-season averages: 2.7 points, 1.3 rebounds, 1.04 blocks  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Anthony Johnson, an 11-year veteran out of Charleston, is a 6-3 point guard who led the team with 80 games played in the regular season. He’s only making 50% of his free throws (nine for 18) in the playoffs after averaging 75.3% in the regular season.

Postseason averages: 4.3 points, 1.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists

Regular-season averages: 5.3 points, 1.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists   (Tony Dejak / Associated Press)

Former Laker Tyronn Lue, a 6-0 point guard out of Nebraska with 11 years of experience, has only appeared in one playoff game and might not be on the playoff roster if All-Star guard Jameer Nelson returns to the lineup.

Postseason averages: not applicable

Regular-season averages: 4.2 points, 1.4 assists, 1.0 rebounds  (Dave Einsel / EPA)

J.J. Redick, the third-year sharpshooter out of Duke, probably won’t see a lot of action in the series unless Orlando needs a spark from the outside. The 6-4 guard is shooting below 40% from the field in the postseason as he did in the regular season, although in 12 playoff games he’s making 39% of his three-pointers and 92.3% of his free throws.

Postseason averages: 6.2 points, 1.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists

Regular-season averages: 6.0 points, 1.7 rebounds, 1.1 assists  (Gary W. Green / Orlando Sentinel)

Marcin Gortat will be counted on to give Dwight Howard much-needed rest for a few minutes each half. The second-year 6-11 center from Poland isn’t much of an offensive threat, although he’s shooting 73% from the field in the playoffs after averaging 56.7% in the regular season.

Postseason averages: 3.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 0.5 blocks

Regular-season averages: 3.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 0.8 blocks  (Elsa / Associated Press)

Tony Battie is another experienced big man for the Magic. The 6-11 forward-center out of Texas Tech, an 11-year veteran, is best known as a former teammate of the Celtics’ Paul Pierce (34).

Postseason averages: 2.2 points, 1.0 rebounds

Regular-season averages: 4.8 points, 3.6 rebounds  (CJ Gunther / EPA)

Adonal Foyle, a veteran 6-10 center out of Colgate with 12 years in the league, doesn’t see much action. He’s only appeared in two playoff games this postseason and might not be activated if Jameer Nelson returns to the lineup.

Postseason averages: not applicable

Regular-season averages: 1.7 points, 2.6 rebounds 0.8 blocks  (Darren Hauck / Associated Press)