CLIPPERS NOTEBOOK: COACH GENTRY SEES IF ODOM GETS POINT.

Byline: Sean Kearns Staff Writer

Clippers coach Alvin Gentry hasn't had a chance to look at Lamar Odom at point guard in a game, but he got his first brief look at the end of the Clippers first practice on Wednesday.

With Jeff McInnis missing practice with the flu, Odom switched off with Keyon Dooling as point guard on the first team. The point experiment is one step as Gentry defines Odom's leading-man role on the team.

``It's always been cool with me,'' Odom said of running the point. ``I'm trying to see what I'm going to have to do the most for us to win the most amount of games. . . . Some of us play the same position, a lot of scorers at the wings. I don't know what my role is going to be because I haven't been on the court with them yet. I think my role is going to be along the same lines as it was last year as far as distributing the ball and trying to get everyone involved.''

Gentry wanted to try Odom at the point earlier in the exhibition season, but Odom has missed the last four games with tendinitis in his right quadriceps. He has been icing and treating the injury as well as strengthening the muscle.

With Odom at the point, Corey Maggette was at shooting guard, Darius Miles at small forward, Brian Skinner at power forward and Michael Olowokandi at center. The shortest player in the lineup was 6-foot-6 Maggette.

Gentry wanted to see what kind of match-ups result with a big line-up. At one point, 6-foot-9 Darius Miles covered 5-foot-5 Earl Boykins. On the flip side, Boykins had to cover the 6-foot-10 Odom.

``We still didn't have an extended look, but we got a little bit of a look at it,'' Gentry said. ``I think it has potential but a lot of it depends on the opponent we're playing against and what we are trying to do offensively.''

--Final cuts: Alvin Gentry said the Clippers might need to move up final cuts to before Friday's exhibition game against Seattle because it takes time for players to clear waivers.

At this point, Gentry is not factoring in 7-foot-3 center Keith Closs, who has been on the suspended list since Oct. 5 because of lack of physical conditioning. Gentry said he doesn't expect Closs on the roster to start the season because he hasn't seen him play.

Closs is one of 12 guaranteed Clippers contracts. A team can only have 12 players on its active roster and three on injured reserve.

Without Closs, there is one roster spot open. With Closs, the Clippers will have to put players on injured reserve to keep them on the team.

Of the five players without guaranteed deals - McInnis, Boykins, Edtrick Bohannon, Zendon Hamilton and Ryan Lorthridge - McInnis appears to have the only sure shot at making the team. He will likely be the starting point guard.

The rest of the players are battling for spots.

--Extras: The Clippers went back to two practices a day as Gentry continued to play catchup with his young team. Extra teaching time has reduced the number of plays Gentry planned to introduce. Two practices are planned for today as well. . . . Both Quentin Richardson (ankle) and Miles (knee) returned to practice after missing part practice on Tuesday. . . . The Clippers will hold an open practice on Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. at Staples Center.