INDIANAPOLIS — Lamar Odom was the Lakers' second option a year ago, averaging almost a dozen shots a game before Pau Gasol was acquired.
Now he's seventh on the team with 7.3 shots a game, lagging the obvious ones (Kobe Bryant and Gasol), the young ones (Jordan Farmar and Andrew Bynum) and the defense-minded one (Trevor Ariza).
Most of it can be traced to fewer minutes, but Coach Phil Jackson sounded a familiar theme Tuesday -- he'd like to see Odom shoot more often.
"We're trying to find a way for him to kind of jump-start so he gets going," Jackson said. "In a normal starting role, he gets opportunities early in the game to drive to the hoop. When you come off the bench, sometimes it takes a while to get in the flow of it. We want him to get involved offensively a little bit more."
Case in point: Odom had only three shots Tuesday against Indiana and cost the Lakers a possession when he passed up an open 16-footer to pass to a surprised Ariza down low. Ariza was promptly called for a three-second violation.
Jackson said he was pleased with Odom's all-around play, which has led to averages of 9.3 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists in only 25.7 minutes a game this season.
To get more touches, Odom could just park himself in the post, but it hasn't happened on a consistent basis.
"That's not always his favorite spot," Jackson said. "We kind of kid him about being too slight to go in there and play the post."
Odom finished with six points, three rebounds and five assists in the Lakers' 118-117 loss to Indiana.
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The fifth starter
Ariza has the better stats, but Vladimir Radmanovic continues to start at small forward because of one particular exhibition game against the Clippers, Jackson said.
Ariza started the first two exhibition games, but Jackson switched to Radmanovic after the Clippers drilled the Lakers, 107-80, in Fresno on Oct. 9.
"It put in my mind's eye that the first unit needed to spread the court, have more space," Jackson said. "There's more Kobe involvement all the time in that unit.
"You need to spread the court out because they're just going to throw bodies at him. We really feel that that's an important aspect."
Ariza is averaging 10.1 points and 5.5 rebounds in 24 minutes a game, Radmanovic is averaging 7.1 points and 3.3 rebounds in 21.4 minutes a game.
Radmanovic has improved his three-point shooting to a notable 45% after a slow start from beyond the arc.
