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Odom with his annual showing
Expect him to be a disappearing act (again) for the rest of the playoffs
Odom leaps back into the picture
By Johnny Ludden
LOS ANGELES – The night began like so many have for Lamar Odom. His back ached. He had no rhythm, no shot, no … nothing. He drove hard to the rim and, suddenly, Chris Andersen, the Denver Nuggets’ frenetic center, was there, swallowing up the ball before it could leave Odom’s hand.
The Los Angeles Lakers had come to expect this from Odom the past two weeks. They knew he was hurting. They also knew they couldn’t count on him, even if they wouldn’t admit it.
Odom knew this, too. So with the fourth quarter having now arrived, with the Lakers’ season having reached a crossroads, he took a pass from Kobe Bryant and looked up to see Birdman Andersen again standing between him and the basket. Odom bounced hard off the court, past Andersen, cradling the ball just long enough to let everyone know the ferocity that awaited.
An instant later, Odom was punching the ball through the rim, crashing down on Andersen. He lingered for a moment, staring past his teammates at all those delirious fans, and roared back, a moment that seemed as cathartic as it was exuberant.
“Sometimes aggression just comes out,” Odom said later, “and it came out with a scream after that dunk.”
The Lakers yelled back. This was the Lamar Odom they had hoped to see, the Lamar Odom they need if they’re going to close out the Nuggets and push their way toward a championship. Odom went on to total 19 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks in the 103-94 victory, which gave the Lakers a 3-2 advantage in the Western Conference finals. It was his best performance in a month, and the Lakers hope not his last.
“When he’s aggressive, when he’s getting after it, when he’s active, we’re a different ballclub,” Bryant said.
The Lakers haven’t seen that kind of game from Odom since they beat the Utah Jazz in the opening round of the playoffs. He hurt his back midway through their second-round series against the Houston Rockets and hasn’t been the same since. Through the first four games of the conference finals, he averaged 7.5 points, eight rebounds and 4.3 fouls.
“We know his back’s been killing him,” Lakers forward Luke Walton said.
Odom has been reluctant to talk about the injury, admitting only that he looked better than he felt on Wednesday. He knew what was riding on this Game 5 – everything.
Odom’s future with these Lakers is tied to their success, as well as his own play. He’ll become a free agent this summer, and while he’s said he wants to return, even at a somewhat reduced cost, the decision isn’t entirely his. If the Lakers win the championship, their owner, Jerry Buss, would be far more inclined to keep the team together. If they lose? Giving Odom a contract that averages more than $10 million-plus a season could be a hefty price for a roster in need of some remodeling.
Re-signing Trevor Ariza will be a priority, win or lose. Odom, however, still has to prove he can help push these Lakers to a le. And with L.A. coming off a deflating defeat in Denver, he knew now was the time to provide a spark.
“I had to suck it up,” Odom said. “Couldn’t pick the paper up anymore. Didn’t want to answer the phone. Couldn’t watch ESPN. Couldn’t watch TV for a little bit, right?
“I took it like a man. I just had to – this is my 10th season. … I haven’t been playing well. My back’s just to the wall. Put my focus cap on. Came out and just went after it.”
That Odom needs to wear a focus cap is what makes him, at times, so frustrating. For all his talent and versatility – even in today’s hybrid NBA, 6-foot-10 forwards with the ball-handling skills of a point guard are hard to find – he can float through games, if not also weeks and months.
Asked for a critique of Odom’s performance during a regular-season game a few months ago, one Eastern Conference scout offered the harshest rebuke: “Is he playing?”
Odom also has as many fans among coaches and GMs as he does detractors. When focused and aggressive, he’s a matchup terror. After Game 2 of this series, Nuggets coach George Karl proclaimed himself to be “a Lamar Odom guy.”
“We think their two best playmakers in the game, on the court, are Odom and [Pau] Gasol,” Karl said.
Odom and Gasol are also the two Lakers who shouldered the most blame for the team’s collapse against the Boston Celtics in last season’s NBA Finals.
“We have to get some players, if we’re going to come back and repeat, to have that kind of aggressiveness we need,” Lakers coach Phil Jackson said after their Game 6 loss in Boston.
“Some players” meant Odom and Gasol, and both were beginning to weather some heat for their continued soft play in this series. Prior to Wednesday, the Lakers had been unable to utilize their size advantage against the Nuggets. After Game 4, Gasol complained about not getting enough touches, but he also wasn’t aggressive enough at seeking the ball.
Gasol made an impact on both ends of the floor in Game 5, contributing 14 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. Finally, the Lakers’ big men played big. While LeBron James still looks for help in Cleveland, Bryant received more than enough support from his teammates Wednesday.
Credit for some of that goes to Bryant himself. Acting as the team’s primary facilitator rather than scorer, he helped the ball move more freely, creating different angles for the Lakers to attack. Karl was left to whine about his own players’ foul trouble, one day after Jackson was fined $25,000 for criticizing the officiating in Game 4.
“Phil is so much better at it than I am,” Karl said, “so much more philosophical about the whistle and how it changed.”
Karl knows the truth, however. What changed the most was Odom. He attacked like he hasn’t all series. He threw in a 3-pointer to tie the game late in the third quarter. He drove for the vicious dunk over Andersen. (“He paid him back on that one,” Walton said.) He swatted away Kenyon Martin’s shot as the Nuggets made their final push.
“It seems like we get a little spark when I play well,” Odom said, as if that hadn’t been apparent before.
The Lakers will smile at that. For one night, at least, they saw the Lamar Odom they needed to see. They can only hope he stays a while.
Odom with his annual showing
Expect him to be a disappearing act (again) for the rest of the playoffs
he'll appear once in the Finals.
I hope so; he is a heck of a baller when he shows up
True that.
Harry Houdini has nothing on Lamar.
Against either Cleveland or Orlando, I would start Odom if the Lakers get there. He's a better match-up against Rashard Lewis on the Magic and he could hold his own down low against Varejao. , I think he should start against K-Mart. I know the Lakers would lose some punch off the bench, but he hasn't been providing that anyway until last night. I think he'd be better starting. Bynum may have played ok at the beginning of yesterday's game, but he's been far from a real factor down low for the entire playoffs.
No need for LO to start as long as he's finishing. Gotta keep Bynum starting to keep buidling his confidence.
There is a need to start LO because last night's game was an anomaly, not the norm. If Lamar starts, I believe he'll be more into the game from jump as opposed to not being in a rhythm and sucking for basically every other game this series except last night's. He's played the same amount of minutes in all five games against the Nuggets. Only last night was he a real factor. If they start him, I would wager that he gives at least two more performances like that in these first five games. And, if that would have happened, then maybe the Lakers are already done with this series (they would have probably taken game 2 if Odom played like he did last night).
When Odom starts in these playoffs, the Lakers are 4-1.
When Odom comes off the bench in these playoffs, the Lakers are 7-5.
Just saying.
Nah, Odom should continue coming in off the bench.
We need Andrew to gain confidence if we are to win it all.
Another stat. Lamar Odom's +/- is +126 for the playoffs, third best in the playoffs behind only Billups and Carmelo. And, ahead of both Kobe and LeBron. He and Kobe are the only non Nuggets or Cavaliers players in the top 10 of playoff +/-.
As for Bynum gaining confidence, how much confidence is there to be gained when he isn't given any meaningful minutes or touches in the fourth quarter? That's where you earn your confidence as a player. When Odom starts, he is more involved in the game and the Lakers generally play better as a team.
When Odom starts, the Lakers win by an average of 8 points. When Odom comes off the bench, the Lakers win by an average of 4.3 points, and that includes the 40 point win against Houston in game 5 of the previous series. Otherwise, they'd only average winning by 1 point when Odom doesn't start.
It's not about who starts, it's about who finishes.
When Bynum plays 20+ minutes, the Lakers are 5-1.
When Bynum plays less than 20 minutes, the Lakers are 6-5.
It doesn't appear to be that way with Odom, as he plays much better when he starts. He gets more involved in the offense both with scoring and play-making and is even more active defensively. The numbers show it. Last night was one of the rare instances where Odom played like he started. When he's come off the bench, he's generally been quiet.
And, if it's not about who starts but who finishes, then your comment about Bynum gaining confidence lacks merit since he doesn't finish games.
Then start Odom and have Bynum play 20+ minutes.
Seems pretty simple.
If you start Odom you basically make Bynum a non-factor. He does even worse than Lamar coming off the bench.
The Lakers need to take the hit now to get Bynum up to speed so that we can use him against D12 should we make the Finals.
You're not looking big picture Jamstone.
Bynum playing next to Gasol frees Gasol up so he's not pounding with the best opposing big man the entire game.
The problem when Odom starts is that Phil Jackson ignores Bynum completely and only plays him like 10-12 minutes. If Jackson starts Odom but still gives Bynum 20 minutes, that solves both problems.
I am looking big picture actually. Odom is actually a better match-up for either Cleveland or Orlando if the Lakers can get past the Nuggets. Odom's perimeter skills presents a similar match-up problem to Cleveland that Orlando has and Odom matches up better against Rashard Lewis if Orlando makes it to the Finals. Bynum is less of a factor against either potential Finals match-up.
It's blatantly obvious that the Lakers play better when Odom plays better. And, it's just as obvious that Odom plays better when he starts. Bynum is hit or miss whether he starts or doesn't.
Gasol plays better with Odom. Who cares if it frees Gasol up? Freeing Gasol up has only led to Gasol being a pussy. Horrible argument.
The Candy Man
odom basically plays the entire second half for this series. he doesn't need to start
He should start if he consistently plays better when he does start. Last night was once in like the last 8 games where he's really been assertive, aggressive, and effective coming off the bench. If he plays more like he did yesterday when he starts, there's every reason he should start over Bynum. If he could consistently play like last night coming off the bench, then sure, he doesn't need to start. It's about getting him to play like he did last night game in and game out. Starting him gets a better chance of him playing like that every game.
Odom's main issues have been with his back, not whether he starts or not.
I agree w/ DrHouse Bynum needs to start. The big picture thing is what I agree with in particular, if the only way LA can beat Denver is kill Bynum's confidence and start Odom (which isn't really the true considering they're up 3-2 with Bynum starting), then there's no point in doing that because D-Ho is going to destroy LA unless Bynum's confident and his defensive intensity is there.
and the yeast infection he seems to get whenever he's at the free throw line in the 4th quarter.
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