Lamar Still Mr. Inconsistent

Lost One · Mar 8, 2009

A mannequin attended the Lakers' victory Friday over Minnesota at Staples Center.

At the same time, there also was a dummy propped up in one of the courtside seats, apparently part of an Old Navy promotion.

The other stiff? That was Lamar Odom.

All right, maybe stiff is too harsh a word, but only by a little bit in this case.

Even Coach Phil Jackson, who has witnessed so many of Odom's uneven nights, was perplexed, noting that the 10th-year player "still has sessions of doubt or doldrums."

This was yet another game when Odom, who can fill a box score like few can in the NBA, again proved he can empty one:

Two points (fewer than Bobby Brown), five rebounds (fewer than Brian Cardinal), two assists (fewer than Kevin Ollie).

It was 24 minutes, 49 seconds not of L.O., but of O.L., Odom Light. Less filling, wastes great.

The Lakers don't need this. Not now. Especially not six weeks from now.

We like Odom as a person, honest. He's generally accommodating, fun to talk to and — aside from a wardrobe sometimes cartoonish — seems a lot like the rest of us.

And the guy can push himself. After a practice last week, he remained on the court long after the other regulars, repeating the same spin move so many times it's a wonder he didn't need to be unscrewed from the floor.

But even Odom's own Web site speaks to his bizarrely unfulfilled career. There, appears this quote from Pat Riley: "He is the only player to come into this league who had the ability to play like Earvin Johnson."

Earvin Johnson altered basketball forever. He was a Hall of Famer the moment he was eligible.

Odom was blessed with the talent and body to be a Hall of Famer, too. Instead, he might never even make an All-Star team.

After Andrew Bynum was injured, Odom responded by scoring in bunches and devouring rebounds as if they were M&Ms. His play soared. Then the past three games arrived, and Odom's play bored. In the past week, he has committed 12 fouls and scored eight points.

Asked if there was concern over Odom's recent showing, Jackson said, "Yes."

Then later, since he knows Odom so well, the coach concluded: "He'll be all right. He'll be OK."

Who knows? With his outside interests — his entertainment ventures, his clothing line, his foundation for underprivileged children — maybe Odom is the one who has this figured out.

Maybe the manically driven players such as Kobe Bryant are the unstable ones, the players who leave the impression they would part with vital organs in exchange for a championship.

Odom says he wants to win a title, really, really, really wants to win a title. But the guess here is he has yet to lose a wink over his inability to do so. Honestly, perhaps this view of life isn't such a bad thing.

It took nearly nine minutes Friday for Odom to act on the fact that Kevin Love was guarding him. He finally ignited the rookie with a driving layup at the 3:29 mark of the first quarter.

Odom would try only one more field goal, a second-quarter 3-pointer hoisted early in the shot clock, seconds after Odom — while the game was going on — paused to talk to a fan.

The performance was such that, at halftime, Jackson approached Odom "to ask if everything was OK." Evidently, he said everything was, in fact, dandy.

Then Odom went out for the third quarter, committed three fouls in seven minutes and spent the rest of the game on the bench.

Afterward, he assured all he was in total control.

"I'm the same player who had a big second half against Boston, the same player who had a big second half against Cleveland, the same player who came off the bench and played well," Odom said. "I'll leave here tonight and be the same player."

That last line was meant to be comforting to Lakers fans, but it is, really?

Odom also announced that, had this been a close game, he would have "kept going to the basket." This suggests that since the Lakers were in charge he decided to coast. Very nice.

It's true, the Lakers didn't need him Friday, but that doesn't mean it's acceptable for Odom to fail to show up.

Against the pathetic and wounded Timberwolves, they didn't need Bryant, but he scored 23 points. They didn't need Pau Gasol, but he scored 21. They didn't need Derek Fisher, but he scored 12.

And that's one of the greatest oddities about Odom, not just his ability to no-show but his ability to no-show so spectacularly.

Following the game, a reporter who presumably saw Odom's effort, seriously asked him how the Lakers hold focus when facing such an inferior opponent. Just as seriously, Odom answered.

"It's easy," he said. "We're striving for perfection. So mentally we're in it."

About the only moment Friday when Odom visibly was "in it" came after a timeout. Returning to the floor, he danced along with the Laker Girls, wiggling his hips to the sounds of "Shake Your Groove Thing."

So Odom's song plays on, the high notes and low chords and the everything and nothing in between.
Click to expand...

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/odom-need-player-2328306-lakers-didn

Long article, sorry...

But yeah, after basically playing like an allstar for a string of games, he reverts back to his Odumb status. Luckily we have been winning lately, so I guess it's been an afterthought, but he's been playing pretty poorly these last couple of games. Come on Lamar, contract year. Even Luke looked like a solid starter.

Mamba · Mar 8, 2009

Consistent at one thing: Being inconsistent.

DaRizzle · Mar 8, 2009

100% of the time there is a 50% chance that he will be inconsistent

ehizzy3 · Mar 9, 2009

lamar is still a dumbass too. dont forget that

huevonkiller · Mar 9, 2009

You don't say?

Mamba · Mar 9, 2009

ehizzy3 said: ↑

lamar is still a dumbass too. dont forget that
Click to expand...

Thanks for the wonderful insight

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Lamar Still Mr. Inconsistent

Lost One ...

Mamba The King is Back Staff Member Global Moderator

DaRizzle BLAKER

ehizzy3 RIP mgb

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Lamar Still Mr. Inconsistent

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Lost One ...

Mamba The King is Back Staff Member Global Moderator

DaRizzle BLAKER

ehizzy3 RIP mgb

huevonkiller Change (Deftones)

Mamba The King is Back Staff Member Global Moderator

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