<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Lamar Odom said the other day his goal was to score 20 points in four straight games, his way of taking some scoring pressure off Kobe Bryant. In theory, it's a great plan. Odom, a gifted ball-handler and tall enough to post up in the paint, is the most logical player among Bryant's supporting cast to put the ball in the basket on a consistent basis. In reality, it needs some fine-tuning. One game after scoring a season-high 23 points, Odom couldn't even reach double figures Sunday against New Jersey, managing just eight points in the Lakers' 102-96 overtime loss to the Nets. Odom hoped to build on his best performance of the season Thursday against the Sonics when he hit 6 of 14 shots. Instead, he got swallowed up by a poor shooting night in which he made just one of 11 field-goal attempts. He missed his only two shot attempts in the first quarter and all four in the first half. By the end of the third quarter he was 1 for 8 from the field and didn't anything the rest of the way. He ended the miserable night as bad as he started it - missing badly on three-pointers late in regulation and in overtime. "These things happen sometimes," Odom said. "Sometimes you're not going to make shots. I had good shots, I just didn't make them." The good news is that he has plenty of time to start a new streak of 20 or more points. But the pressing issue is that the Lakers desperately need Odom - or someone else - to emerge as a consistent scoring threat to complement Bryant, who carried the Lakers with 46 points and nailed a pair of crucial 3-pointers late in the fourth quarter to help overcome a Nets lead and force overtime. "That's a concern for us," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "Especially coming off the game (Odom) had Thursday." </div> Source
The lakers aren't in any real trouble yet as there are only a few legit playoff teams in the west- Spurs, Dallas, Rockets (just cause how could they not be?) and Memphis.....Seattle isn't gonna make much noise this season, The Clippers have been faltering as of late and are one key injury from being screwed. Oh- and Denver just lost Carmello. Basically- The Lakers are struggling early, but once they hit their stride I see them as being really good. If in a month or so we haven't seen any consistently good play- then its time to talk trade.
Lamar Odom has to be more consistent.....PLAIN AND SIMPLE. I dont want to see 1 for 11 shooting nights from him anymore. The game against NJ just wasnt his night. He'll bounce back, I'm sure of it.
