Lamar Odom

[ilikecb4]

lamar is a triple double threat if he coms to play every night

[ninetyone4ever]

Although i think the DNA comment is on track, I also think Odom sufferes a bit from 'crappy rookie team' syndrome, when you are in a culture of failure like the Clippers were during his first few years that couldn't have helped build his work ethic, leadership skills or intensity. A lot of great players are on bad teams but not on teams where the owner pretty much intentionally fields a bad team with an under experienced coach.

I have always thought of Odom as kind've a freak of NBA nature... too small to be dominate in the post, a little too lanky and big to be a slasher, good but not great point-forward material... so he has to work harder at all those facets of his game since he isn't a perfect fit anywhere. Having to work harder to do everything well since you don't have that 1 thing to fall back on would have to be rather challenging in itself. That being said he is in the perfect fit of his career with this Lakers squad and is doing a great job. The Lakers better pony up and keep this team together for the long haul.

[cdubbz]

Add odom to any team and he could fit right in and make an impact.

[JO7]

Lamar Odom is great.... as a fourth option that is.

[Patterns]

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His post game is actually very weak. He has a ton of trouble posting up smaller players. Lamar is at his best when the game gets wild and crazy ESPECIALLY when the defense doesn't have time for the shot blockers to rotate over to him.

That's wrong. Lamar's post game is actually his best offensive set. Every time he posts up, something good happens, just like how he posted up Finley in game 1 to tie the game.

He also posted Marion to death in 05-06 playoffs.

The problem with Lamar is, he doesn't have a consistent jumpshot and he can't go right. There's a reason why he commits so many offensive fouls. Plus, he isn't a great finisher at the rim and routinely misses makable layups.

[Dr Aki]

lamar does have a farily weak post game, he cant bang with the top PFs in the league

however, lamar has made a concerted attempt to go to his right this year

but yeh, no consistent jumper

[GuyverX]

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Much like Rasheed Wallace -- it's just not in his DNA.

Yeah, pretty much. Some guys have that killer instinct (like Kobe) and there are guys like Odom who just aren't cut out to be main guy...or even the 2nd in charge.

[Thugmelo]

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That's wrong. Lamar's post game is actually his best offensive set. Every time he posts up, something good happens, just like how he posted up Finley in game 1 to tie the game.

He also posted Marion to death in 05-06 playoffs.

The problem with Lamar is, he doesn't have a consistent jumpshot and he can't go right. There's a reason why he commits so many offensive fouls. Plus, he isn't a great finisher at the rim and routinely misses makable layups.

It's weak. He can only post up players he has huge size advantages against. A great post up player can post up people his size. Also, a great post player has more than one move downlow. Lamar is a one dimensional post scorer. He'll post up and hook it with his left or will put up some ugly shot.

Lamar isn't as talented as many people think. Weak midrange jumper, weak 3 point jumper, overrated post game. He is a very good ball handler for his size but is only an average ball handler if you compare league wise. He is a great rebounder (not in the clutch though, disappears on the boards down the stretch) and underrated defensively. Also in the open court, Lamar is excellent. That's where he lives , in the open court. He has also learned how to cut more agressively this season which has led him to get more easy buckets. For 6 quarters, Lamar was being exposed by the spurs's defense. Finally got back to his real game.

[richboy]

Exactly. Lamar's talent has been severely overrated by the public. He has no midrange game. He has an inconsistent jumper. He only drives to his left. He gets a ton of charges because he lacks body control. He really can only post up SFs. People love him because his ballhandling, passing and his size. There a lot more to being a top option on offense than that. I think next year Lamar will be in perfect situation because Phil can use him off the bench to attack match-ups that favor him. Play him less against teams that can match-up well with him play him more against teams that can't.

[_BBIB_]

Actually Lamar Odom is very talented. At 6'10 he has exceptional ability slash, create off the dribble, post up, and stretch the defense with his ability to shoot from the perimeter.

The reason why he isn't a star is the same reason that Rasheed Wallace isn't a star: He simply does not take enough shots per game.

You can't be a star player taking 12 shots per game. And you certainly cannot be one with a combined 16/17 FG and FTAs per game.


Every star thats ever played in the post has averaged more than 14 FGAs per game and a combined 22 or more FG and FT attempts per game.


In order for guys like Odom and Rasheed to score 20+ PPG on the amount of shots they take per game, they'd have to shoot some absurd percentage from the field.

[B-Scott]

Who do fans automatically pencil Bynum in as the starter along with Gasol? If the Lakers win the title, they should keep Lamar and Gasol up front with Bynum coming off the bench.

Some fans just want to start Bynum out of the kindest of there hearts.

Gasol and Lamar would have won a title together so im keeping that as my starting frontline next season.

Also there is no guarantee Gasol nd Bynum will work out. I think our frontline would be a lot slower. Bynum's not going to drive and dish to Gasol the way Lamar was.

[LLcoleJ]

Who do fans automatically pencil Bynum in as the starter along with Gasol? If the Lakers win the title, they should keep Lamar and Gasol up front with Bynum coming off the bench.

Some fans just want to start Bynum out of the kindest of there hearts.

Gasol and Lamar would have won a title together so im keeping that as my starting frontline next season.

Also there is no guarantee Gasol nd Bynum will work out. I think our frontline would be a lot slower. Bynum's not going to drive and dish to Gasol the way Lamar was.

Kindess of their heart? Where did you pull that from.

Lets assume for a moment that the Lakers win the chip. ( still a long way to go) and then Bynum comes back healthy next year. If phil starts Bynum, Gasol and LO ( the tallest frontline in the NBA) it will be based out of the kindness of his heart ?

[B-Scott]

If Lamar is overated then so is Carloz Boozer and Shawn Marion because Lamar dominates both. Last 2 seasons the excuse was Marion was to small. This season he dominates Boozer. What's the excuse now?

So many post about his weaknesses but he dominates Boozer and Marion which shows he must have some strengths

[Basileus777]

Actually Lamar Odom is very talented. At 6'10 he has exceptional ability slash, create off the dribble, post up, and stretch the defense with his ability to shoot from the perimeter.

Thats a significant exaggeration. Odom isn't that good at create creating off the dribble and can't stretch the defense at all, he doesn't have a reliable jumpshot. His post game is merely solid, and yeah he is a pretty good slasher. The fact is, Odom can't consistently create his own shot, he is best when finishing. He is a versatile player that can do many things, but you can't just give him the ball and expect him to score, he isn't that type of player. He gets his shots in the flow of the offense, feeding him more shots wouldn't help him at all.

[B-Scott]

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Kindess of their heart? Where did you pull that from.

Lets assume for a moment that the Lakers win the chip. ( still a long way to go) and then Bynum comes back healthy next year. If phil starts Bynum, Gasol and LO ( the tallest frontline in the NBA) it will be based out of the kindness of his heart ?

If we go on to surprisingly just dominate the defending NBA Champs 4-0 or 4-1 which would be very impressive and go on to with the NBA Title im not changing up that starting lineup.

Lamar is not at his best as a SF because he is now going against quicker players. He's better at PF where he can use his quickness and he creates major problems for power forwards like Boozer and others.

If it came down to i had to choose which one to start, Lamar or Bynum, im going with the one who played a huge role on the 2007/2008 LA Lakers.

[LLcoleJ]

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If we go on to surprisingly just dominate the defending NBA Champs 4-0 or 4-1 which would be very impressive and go on to with the NBA Title im not changing up that starting lineup.

Lamar is not at his best as a SF because he is now going against quicker players. He's better at PF where he can use his quickness and he creates major problems for power forwards like Boozer and others.

If it came down to i had to choose which one to start, Lamar or Bynum, im going with the one who played a huge role on the 2007/2008 LA Lakers.

Right, and thats nice and all. But you know we dont have any say in that, right? So, the kindness of our hearts really has little impact.

Point is - it wouldnt be surprising at all to have Phil start all 3 up front ( if healthy) The beauty of the triangle and the versatility is we dont have to have one cookie cutter lineup.

[_BBIB_]

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Thats a significant exaggeration. Odom isn't that good at create creating off the dribble and can't stretch the defense at all, he doesn't have a reliable jumpshot. His post game is merely solid, and yeah he is a pretty good slasher. The fact is, Odom can't consistently create his own shot, he is best when finishing. He is a versatile player that can do many things, but you can't just give him the ball and expect him to score, he isn't that type of player. He gets his shots in the flow of the offense, feeding him more shots wouldn't help him at all.

Odom has exceptional slashing ability for his length. Perhaps I exaggerated his ability to shoot off the dribble but with his slashing game and sufficient post skills and pretty darn good range on his shot (especially at the 4) Lamar Odom certainly has the skill set to be a star.

But again, you can't be a star taking 12.5 shots per game. Given his FTAs and FT%, Lamar Odom would essentially have to shoot 70 PERCENT from the field to put up star esque numbers on that few shot attempts.

[B-Scott]

Phil - The kindest of the heart comment was just i don;t want to just hand Bynum the starting job when this team has just won a title without him.

Id probably start the season and see how it works with Bynum, Gasol and Lamar up front. Im just not sure Lamar can have the same success at the 3 because he's further away from the basket and he is going against quicker wing players.

[Chubby Chaser]

Lamar has been a head ache for laker fans for the past four years. He has the potential and ability to be an all star caliber player. But at times he lacks motivation and sometimes gets lost in the game. He lets the game come to him, alot of times to a fault. He's not a second option. 3rd option or fourth option is a perfect role for him with no pressure of him having to put up 20+ numbers. He's an absolute BEAST on the boards, great passer, great slasher. But he needs the ball in his hand to score. The reason he did well in Miami that last year before he got traded was because he had the ball in his hands alot in the post. Lamar is the ultimate X-Factor.

What really frustrates me though, is that he absolutely tears it up in the post season. He always has. But in the regular season he looks so lost at times. And it looks like he doesn't want to be there. But whatever, I guess he performs when it matters. I'm just glad that Phil talked to him and told him to not shoot any more threes. He was jacking up ill advised threes last year like no one's business.