LAKERS NOTEBOOK: ODOM'S GAME ON THE RISE.Byline: ROSS SILER Staff Writer The difference between putting up good numbers and great numbers can be as simple as getting one more layup per game to fall. The difference between being selected as an All-Star or not can be connecting on one more 3-pointer than usual. That's how 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. has rationalized things during his two seasons with the Lakers See Lake poets , often when the criticism of his play has grown loudest. His job is to fill up the box score, and Odom has been sensational more nights than not recently. Odom's numbers arguably ar·gu·a·ble adj. 1. Open to argument: an arguable question, still unresolved. 2. That can be argued plausibly; defensible in argument: three arguable points of law. have been the best of his career in the second half of the season. He is averaging 16.8 points, 9.1rebounds and 5.6 assists since the All-Star break, shooting 53.8 percent overall and 45.6 percent from 3-point range. For comparison's sake, Odom averaged 17.4 points, 10.9 rebounds and 3.9 assists on 45.3 percent shooting when he was named Eastern Conference player of the month with the Miami Heat The Miami Heat (known as the HEAT [in all capital letters] on official team publications) are a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. They play in the National Basketball Association (NBA). in March 2004. "We all know of his potential," 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. said. "We all know he can be a great player. It's just a matter of him being on a team where we all embrace him and believe in his abilities. That's what he has here." Odom followed his 23-point, 15-rebound game Sunday against the Clippers with his first triple-double in 141 games since coming to the Lakers two nights later against Golden State. "He's beautiful to watch going to the basket making these moves he's been making the last few games," Lakers coach Phil Jackson
Philip Douglas "Phil" Jackson (born September 17, 1945 in Deer Lodge, Montana) is the current coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, an American professional basketball team. said. With Bryant scoring 30 points in the first half Tuesday, Jackson challenged Odom at halftime to get more involved in the game. And Odom had nine points, seven rebounds and three assists in the third quarter as the Lakers built a 21-point lead. During a 13-3 run to start the third quarter, Odom followed up a Luke Walton Luke Theodore Walton (born March 28 1980 in San Diego, California) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). His position is small forward. miss with an acrobatic tip in and drained a 3-pointer that forced the Warriors to call timeout. "Basketball's an easier game when everyone's coming along with you," Odom said, "when everyone's involved in the game." What is left unsaid is that as Odom goes in the playoffs, so might the Lakers, now 16-11 since the All-Star break. "Him continuing to evolve as a player obviously makes us a very dangerous team," Bryant said. --Also: The Lakers could clinch a playoff play·off also play-off n. Sports 1. A final game or series of games played to break a tie. 2. A series of games played to determine a championship. Noun 1. berth Friday with a victory over Portland and a Utah loss against the Hornets. ross.siler@dailynews.com (818) 713-3610 |
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