Odom questions his team's camaraderie
By Rich Hammond, Staff writer
EL SEGUNDO - When he vented after the Lakers' Game 2 blowout loss to Phoenix, Lamar Odom delved into the core of team sports, a concept that has nothing to do with transition defense or the triangle offense. The Lakers, Odom said in the painful moments after a 28-point loss, lack a sense of camaraderie and team unity. Simply put, they're not pulling for each other, and if a team becomes more about 12 individuals and less about a cohesive unit, the team becomes, well, the Lakers, a group on the verge of summer vacation.
Time is running short. Tonight's Game 3 at Staples Center will provide the last realistic chance for the Lakers to restore faith, as no team in NBA playoff history has ever rallied from a 3-0 series deficit. It's easy to dismiss Odom's comments as the frustrations of a losing player, as coach Phil Jackson did after practice Wednesday afternoon, or talk about how one victory can cure all ills, as Kobe Bryant insisted. But Odom, given a chance to soften his criticisms, only got bolder and said the problems run deep. "When I talk about camaraderie, it's about dealing with each other and sharing together," Odom said. "When guys are not playing well, the support for each other hasn't been there the whole year. If that's not going to be there, then we don't stand a chance against a team that's obviously really tight." Odom didn't point fingers, but it's not hard to find potential targets. Former starters Smush Parker and Vladimir Radmanovic have seen their minutes dwindle but have turned borderline aloof and detached.
Even Bryant, who talked after Game 1 about being frustrated when his teammates don't make shots, could fall in this category, but Odom responded to an unrelated question by praising Bryant's leadership role. Jackson spoke of the Lakers being "depressed" and "humiliated" the day after the Game 2 loss and said the mood of his players had to improve, but Jackson brushed aside a question about whether the team had camaraderie issues. Perhaps that's because as the coach, he would also shoulder some of the blame.
Even one of the Lakers' newest additions said he found truth in Odom's statements about team unity. "That has happened throughout the season," rookie point guard Jordan Farmar said. "We've tried to make an effort to come together as a team more recently. We went out to dinner in Arizona and things like that. I think as a result of that we came out well in Game 1, but we didn't carry that over to the second game."
In the Jackson era, the concepts of team unity, camaraderie and leadership have always been dicey. It started with the power struggle between Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal, evolved when Karl Malone and Gary Payton came aboard and transformed again when Bryant inherited the role of team leader. Some questioned whether Bryant could ever thrive in that role, but he seems to be growing into it and seems to be held in higher esteem by teammates and coaches than he was early in his career.
To that end, Bryant did his best Wednesday to downplay any widespread team issues. "It's just a rhythm thing," Bryant said. "When you've had guys out for 40-some games and things of that nature, your rhythm is going to be off. We're trying to build that. One game in the playoffs can drastically change your energy and your confidence in your team. Hopefully that game will be (Game 3)." And if not, then what happens? Bryant isn't going anywhere. Jackson is under contract for one more season. Despite his apparent frustration, Odom is under contract for two more seasons, and with the Lakers restricted by the salary cap, Odom is counted on as a building block, not a potential trading piece. Barring a major roster blowup this summer, the Lakers are likely to remain mostly intact, and despite his tough words, Odom said he believes the Lakers have the potential to play as a cohesive unit. "I mean, we've had (chemistry) at times this year, and played with it, but right now there's obviously guys who are separating," said Odom, who added that he didn't believe any friction existed within the team.
So, can any good come of this? Can the Lakers pull together before it's too late? "Hopefully this brings guys together and makes us want to compete at a high level," Odom said. If not, the Lakers will truly be headed their separate ways, until training camp opens in October.
By Rich Hammond, Staff writer
EL SEGUNDO - When he vented after the Lakers' Game 2 blowout loss to Phoenix, Lamar Odom delved into the core of team sports, a concept that has nothing to do with transition defense or the triangle offense. The Lakers, Odom said in the painful moments after a 28-point loss, lack a sense of camaraderie and team unity. Simply put, they're not pulling for each other, and if a team becomes more about 12 individuals and less about a cohesive unit, the team becomes, well, the Lakers, a group on the verge of summer vacation.
Time is running short. Tonight's Game 3 at Staples Center will provide the last realistic chance for the Lakers to restore faith, as no team in NBA playoff history has ever rallied from a 3-0 series deficit. It's easy to dismiss Odom's comments as the frustrations of a losing player, as coach Phil Jackson did after practice Wednesday afternoon, or talk about how one victory can cure all ills, as Kobe Bryant insisted. But Odom, given a chance to soften his criticisms, only got bolder and said the problems run deep. "When I talk about camaraderie, it's about dealing with each other and sharing together," Odom said. "When guys are not playing well, the support for each other hasn't been there the whole year. If that's not going to be there, then we don't stand a chance against a team that's obviously really tight." Odom didn't point fingers, but it's not hard to find potential targets. Former starters Smush Parker and Vladimir Radmanovic have seen their minutes dwindle but have turned borderline aloof and detached.
Even Bryant, who talked after Game 1 about being frustrated when his teammates don't make shots, could fall in this category, but Odom responded to an unrelated question by praising Bryant's leadership role. Jackson spoke of the Lakers being "depressed" and "humiliated" the day after the Game 2 loss and said the mood of his players had to improve, but Jackson brushed aside a question about whether the team had camaraderie issues. Perhaps that's because as the coach, he would also shoulder some of the blame.
Even one of the Lakers' newest additions said he found truth in Odom's statements about team unity. "That has happened throughout the season," rookie point guard Jordan Farmar said. "We've tried to make an effort to come together as a team more recently. We went out to dinner in Arizona and things like that. I think as a result of that we came out well in Game 1, but we didn't carry that over to the second game."
In the Jackson era, the concepts of team unity, camaraderie and leadership have always been dicey. It started with the power struggle between Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal, evolved when Karl Malone and Gary Payton came aboard and transformed again when Bryant inherited the role of team leader. Some questioned whether Bryant could ever thrive in that role, but he seems to be growing into it and seems to be held in higher esteem by teammates and coaches than he was early in his career.
To that end, Bryant did his best Wednesday to downplay any widespread team issues. "It's just a rhythm thing," Bryant said. "When you've had guys out for 40-some games and things of that nature, your rhythm is going to be off. We're trying to build that. One game in the playoffs can drastically change your energy and your confidence in your team. Hopefully that game will be (Game 3)." And if not, then what happens? Bryant isn't going anywhere. Jackson is under contract for one more season. Despite his apparent frustration, Odom is under contract for two more seasons, and with the Lakers restricted by the salary cap, Odom is counted on as a building block, not a potential trading piece. Barring a major roster blowup this summer, the Lakers are likely to remain mostly intact, and despite his tough words, Odom said he believes the Lakers have the potential to play as a cohesive unit. "I mean, we've had (chemistry) at times this year, and played with it, but right now there's obviously guys who are separating," said Odom, who added that he didn't believe any friction existed within the team.
So, can any good come of this? Can the Lakers pull together before it's too late? "Hopefully this brings guys together and makes us want to compete at a high level," Odom said. If not, the Lakers will truly be headed their separate ways, until training camp opens in October.
