After three consecutive double-digit losses against the Bucks, Heat and Spurs, Phil Jackson decided he would shake-up the Lakers starting lineup, placing Andrew Bynum in the starting unit and sliding Lamar Odom back into his reserve role.
In his first game back with the second unit, Odom lodged 24 points.
Two of those points came as Odom made his way into the lane on a fast break, looped the ball behind his back, finger-rolled it off the back rim and proceeded to emphatically dunk his own miss.
Jackson might be the Zen Master, orchestrating the return of Bynum as a starter perhaps had a lot to do with the Lakers snapping their recent three game skid, but Odom knows great theater—or is at least familiar with taking over the small (reality TV) screen.
Even though Odom’s time under the marquee as a starter has officially come to a close, he’s still looking to garner the attention of the crowd. Don’t let his so-called demotion to the bench fool you—the move to the second unit isn’t cosmetic. Odom coming off the bench doesn’t appear to make the Lakers better, it definitely makes them better. His play to start the season has already exceeded the expectations of even his toughest critics and his contribution to The Renegades comes at a time when the Lakers need cohesion on both ends of the floor.
Next: As destiny would have it, Odom goes back to being second string
The move from starter to secondary didn’t come as a surprise to Odom.
“It was expected,” Odom told reports after the Lakers win against the New Orleans Hornets. “That’s [Bynum’s] spot and that’s his role on the team. So it wasn’t like there was a competition for a spot or even last year or the year before when [Jackson] decided to start Drew. That’s the way it is and that’s what I expected as soon as he got back to full strength.”
If it were a competition, Odom would have made a serious case to threaten Bynum for his spot as a starter. He might have even won it with flying colors. As evidence, Odom is producing All-Star type numbers, averaging 15.9 points per game on 58-percent shooting with 9.5 rebounds.
In case you hadn’t heard, it’s okay to start using consistent and Odom in the same sentence.
Odom has even made a strong case for an All-Star bid—it would be his first, pending Laker fans go out and rock the vote.
“Trying to make the All-Star team coming off the bench is something I’ll work hard for,” said Odom. “If it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen. If it does, then great. It’s something to celebrate.”
So it would seem that Odom’s production doesn’t warrant him having to wait 8-10 minutes to make his first imprints on a game, perhaps he holds a skill-set that over qualifies him to come off the bench, but in this league, who starts, backs-up and finishes hardly matters. In the end, it’s all a blur and no one questions it so long as the “W” appears in favor of the Lakers on the scorecard.
“That’s the difference between championship teams,” noted Jackson. “We said it two years ago and last year, the difference is you have guys that you bring off the bench that could be starters. [Manu Ginobli has been it over the years for San Antonio. This year he is starting, but numbers of players are in that role in this league that make a difference in teams.”
Jackson had no reservation putting Odom back into a reserve role just as quickly as Bynum showed signs of his old self. Odom has accepted the duties given to him by the coaching staff with poise and little-to-no grievance. How many players do you know would put up the numbers Odom has, be rewarded with a demotion and still come out with a 24-point off-the-bench effort?
If you named five, I’d say that’s too many.
Next: Lamar stacks his resume and builds up his brand
What does it all even matter to good old Lamar? He’s still a two-time NBA Champion, newly minted FIBA World Champion, can legitimately play all spots on the floor, is a locker room favorite and since his wedding to reality-television star Khloe Kardashian, is still one of the most widely recognized NBA athlete in terms of non-NBA audiences.
Making coast-to-coast plays with ease isn’t the only thing Odom is doing these days, he’s also building himself a brand that extends far beyond the confines of the 94-by-50-foot basketball court. He’s already appeared in campaigns for Samsung, PowerBar and Taco Bell, what’s next for Odom is anyone’s guess.
Rumors have surfaced after an US Weekly report stated Odom and Kardashian were in talks to do a newlywed-type reality show of their own. Odom was quick to dial down those reports stating, “a decision hadn’t been made” and that he has no plans to film a show “as of right now.”
The show reportedly would start to film sometime around spring, just as the Lakers would presumably begin their playoff run at banner No. 17.
“Should I do one, what do you think?” Odom jokingly asked a reporter. “They pay pretty well.”
Not that he asked for my opinion, but I’d go with no. Or you know, at least not until after the conclusion of the 2010-11 season.