LAKERS NOTEBOOK: INJURY FORCES SHUFFLE.Byline: Ross Siler Staff Writer EL SEGUNDO El Segundo (ĕl sēgŭn`dō), industrial city (1990 pop. 15,223), Los Angeles co., S Calif., on Santa Monica Bay; inc. 1917. Its products include navigation and computer systems, aircraft parts, office machines, telephone apparatus, and - As he has throughout the season, Lakers forward Lamar Odom Lamar Joseph Odom (born November 6 1979, in South Jamaica, Queens, New York) is an American professional basketball player who currently plays power forward (also plays both forward spots and is a "point-forward") for the National Basketball Association's Los Angeles Lakers. took a deferential deferential /def·er·en·tial/ (-en´shal) pertaining to the ductus deferens. def·er·en·tial adj. Of or relating to the vas deferens. deferential pertaining to the ductus deferens. tone when talking about Kobe Bryant Kobe Bean Bryant (born July 23 1978) is an American All-Star shooting guard in the National Basketball Association (NBA) who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers. in the locker room after Thursday's game. Twice Odom referred to Bryant, who suffered a severely sprained right ankle, as ``our best player, the best player in the NBA NBA abbr. 1. National Basketball Association 2. National Boxing Association NBA (US) n abbr (= National Basketball Association) → Basketball-Dachverband (= .'' With Bryant sidelined indefinitely, Odom will take over the role of the Lakers' leading man, joined by Caron Butler, with a trickle-down effect through the rest of the roster. Rookie guard Sasha Vujacic could fill Bryant's spot in the starting lineup against the Golden State Warriors The Golden State Warriors are a professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. The team plays in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Franchise history Philadelphia Warriors , as could forward Jumaine Jones. But it will take the contributions of everyone to make up for Bryant's absence. ``Everybody's role's been changed,'' Odom said Friday. ``Everyone has to become that much better.'' Odom and Butler filled their new roles well in Thursday's 98-94 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Odom played on the attack, matching a season-high with 24 points, and drove the lane for two critical fourth- quarter baskets. Butler had 21 points, 11 rebounds, five steals and one monster baseline dunk in the third quarter, beating LeBron James by faking a jumper before elevating over Robert Traylor. Meanwhile, Lakers coach Rudy Tomjanovich told Vujacic that he would start tonight if Golden State's Jason Richardson is unable to play because of an ankle sprain ankle sprain Orthopedics A stretching of the ankle ligaments and/or muscles with swelling . The Warriors would go with a backcourt of Derek Fisher and Speedy Claxton, and Tomjanovich wants to counter with two point guards of his own. And Tomjanovich said he would prefer to bring Tierre Brown off the bench. Vujacic saw his first extended action of the season Thursday, playing 26 minutes and finishing with seven assists and no turnovers. He went 1 for 7 and scored six points but said he was concentrating on his defense. Undrafted rookie guard Tony Bobbitt, who would be activated from the injured list to replace Bryant, also could make his NBA debut. --Bigger donation: The Lakers increased their donation to UNICEF's tsunami-relief efforts to $100,000. Bryant made a $27,000 donation after scoring 27 points Jan. 7 against Houston. |
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