LAKERS MAKE A TURN FOR WORSE L.A. SCORES 51 FEWER POINTS THAN DAY EARLIER INDIANA 105, LAKERS 79.

Byline: Ross Siler Staff Writer

INDIANAPOLIS - For what it's worth, the Atlanta Hawks followed a 139-point game at the end of last season against the New York Knicks by scoring 71 points fewer two days later against the Detroit Pistons.

The Elias Sports Bureau dug up that number Wednesday night, but it was of little consolation for the Lakers after one of the strangest two-game swings coach Phil Jackson said he could remember for a team.

The Lakers followed their 130-97 blowout victory over the Knicks with one of the worst shooting games in franchise history in a 105-78 loss to the Indiana Pacers at Conseco Fieldhouse, a staggering 51-point swing for one team in just 24 hours.

``I told this team I've never seen such a performance from a basketball club from one night to the next in a situation like this,'' Jackson said.

To make matters worse, forward Lamar Odom suffered a rib injury in the third quarter, bringing back bad memories of the season-ending shoulder injury he suffered here last season, and was in considerable discomfort after the game.

Jackson said Odom likely would play Friday as the Lakers' seven-game trip continues in Charlotte. Odom suffered what the team said was a cartilage injury on the upper right side of his chest.

Odom was hurt with 7:22 left in the third when he was caught between Jeff Foster and David Harrison trying to get a loose ball. He stayed in the game for a minute, then headed to the bench, and returned later in the quarter.

``That was tough,'' said Odom, who finished with 10 points on 4-of-12 shooting. ``I didn't really want to jump or lift my arms. ... It would have been easier just to sit out, but this is the time when we have to start showing spirit and unity amongst each other.''

The Lakers shot a disastrous 26 of 85 (30.6 percent) for the game as Kobe Bryant finished with 26 points on 8-for-24 shooting. The Lakers shot a franchise-worst 29.4 percent in a November 2004 game at Utah.

Only an alley-oop dunk by rookie center Andrew Bynum and a jumper by rookie guard Von Wafer in the final minute saved the Lakers from that bit of history.

It was a dreadful loss to a Pacers team that had lost its six previous games and was playing without the injured Jermaine O'Neal, Austin Croshere and Jamaal Tinsley. They also were playing the second game of a back-to-back set like the Lakers.

And the injured list grew by one when Indiana guard Stephen Jackson had to be taken to the hospital after crashing to the floor as Brian Cook took a charge in the second quarter. Jackson was diagnosed with a hip contusion and elbow abrasion.

What made Wednesday worse was that the Lakers couldn't find a player to hit a shot with the Pacers double-teaming Bryant all night. Jackson said he was stunned to see no player other than Bryant with more than one basket when he looked at the halftime box score.

``It was aces wild,'' Jackson said, later adding, ``You can't play a basketball game if other people aren't going to step up and support the team.''

If they want to make noise in the playoffs, the Lakers are going to have to get something from players not named Bryant. They didn't Wednesday, with Jackson commenting that guard Smush Parker played like he was in ``slow motion,'' shooting just 2 of 6.

Bryant was guarded first by Jackson and then by Fred Jones, with the Pacers sending a second defender every time he touched the ball. He split the double-team twice on gorgeous spin moves and finger-roll layups, but spent a largely frustrating night.

``I think at this point in time of the season, especially with teams starting to think that this is going to be a formula for us, me going out and getting 40 or 50 points, this is a time for everybody to step up and start drilling some shots and making the defense pay,'' Bryant said.

Ross Siler, [phone]

ross.siler(at)dailynews.com