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Keeping up with Mr. Kardashian

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It’s not often that players in the NBA are able to find a true turn-around in perception and production.

In 2004-2005, Lamar was struggling like most every other Lakers player. According 82games.com Lamar was not contributing in proportion with his salary. He totaled a 45.9 win% and had a Net48 (points allowed per 48 minutes with him on the floor) of -2.1. (For the same season, Brian Cook had a Net48 of +3.5. Is that how you know you’re struggling?) The Lakers even put together losing streaks of 8 games, 6 games and 5 games at the end of the season to go 2-19 in their last 21 games. Dismal. Definitely not blaming Lamar, just providing some context. Clearly that was a team effort.

Despite the worry that marrying Khloe Kardashian would be a distraction and a negative influence on the court, this year Lamar has a win% of 71.4 and a Net48 of +9.5. Playing with Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum instead of Chris Mihm and Brian Cook probably had something to do with it. To all of our eyes, Lamar has actually been a very important player the last couple of years after being a pretty big scapegoat (along with Luke and Farmar). He’s having a particularly good season so far and we should be sure to give thanks for being able to watch such a joyful player. Lamar won’t have his jersey retired with the Lakers but make sure to take note of the man who has been through a tragedy yet found a way to love life and the game of basketball anyway. A toast, then, to Mr. Lamar Odom.


Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lakerpassion says

    Lamar is one of those “glue” players. He holds the team together. He makes things flow, he shares, he includes people in the game, he tries to protect them.

    Glue players are very valuable and hard to find. Just because their value is intangible doesn’t mean it’s not real.

    Thank God for Fish and Lamar and Luke to a lesser extent. We need them.

  4. SteveM says

    Great post about LO! He is such a unique player that one tends to forget just how valuable he truly is! I like to view Lamar as the air we breathe. No one sings praises to air but oh to be without it!

    Everytime Bynum starts pouting and not putting out, I give thanks that LO is still here to clean the glass, dish the rock, and make the open 3s to keep defenses honest. Call him the best sixth man, leader of the second unit, all star, or whatever you want as long as he is still a Laker and helping our team nail down wins.

  6. Ryan says

    Those two blooper videos were pretty funny. Dribbling the ball in bounds is the biggest brain fart i’ve ever seen on the basketball court.

  7. MannyP13 says

    I forgot to ask this in the earlier trade thread, so please don’t shoot me for asking now: In making a trade of an existing contract, how are draft picks or draft rights considered? For example, how much are Rubio’s rights worth to the Wolves and how much is a first round pick worth to bottom dwellers like the Grizzlies and Bulls?

  8. Craig W. says

    I have always thought Vlade was the wrong person with the ‘Space Cadet’ moniker. It is just that Lamar does too many things right to risk injuring his ego by having his coach refer to him as a ‘Space Cadet’.

  9. PJ says

    I love Lamar Odom. He brings many things to this team which do not show up in the box score….brain farts not withstanding

  10. MS says

    Did anyone else catch this part of the Phil Jackson chat on espn.com today?
    “John Gonzalez (Huntington Park):
    Whats it like working with the 2 greatest players in NBA history(Michael and Kobe)

    Phil Jackson:
    I don’t think you can discount that Scottie Pippen is one of the top 50 players in the history of the NBA. So is Shaq O’Neal. To have those players to partner with is remarkable, for any great player to have a player with equal attention, dominance and abilities. I’ve been a very fortunate coach.”

    I’m pretty sure he just called Shaq the Pippen to Kobe’s Jordan. Think he meant it that way to goose Shaq?

    • Kurt says

      Wow, Thunder just pulled off a trade and basically stole Eric Maynor from the Jazz (for the rights to a player in Europe).

      Also, apparently Von Wafer is close to re-signing in Houston.

  12. jeremyLA24 says

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xPW_Y_Gc7Y

    Check out Shawn Marion pulling one of the few brain farts bigger than dribbling in bounds.

    MS- Just read your thread and I’m sure that the 3peat and 03 season is the only one you can possibly call Kobe the head honcho on that team. With the wit that PJ has I’m sure he was kidding if he tried to make it that way.

  13. chibi says

    Not only does OKC grab Maynor, they can combine Harpring’s expiring contract with their prospects and extra 1st round picks for a big piece too. Nice job, Presti.

  16. Kaifa says

    Lamar is on of my favorite players in the league. Apart from his versatility, I just love how he expresses himself on the court. For example during the infamous Pau-lead fast break (through his own legs, then no-look to Ariza), LO’s smiling all the way.

    This is the joy basketball can bring, expecially to someone who has been through rough times. It’s just the basic human struggle played out on the basketball court, of which mistakes like the ones above are just a normal part. And not being perfect but still gaining so much joy from doing something you love is something I hope everybody can identify with.

  17. Simon says

    I should hope you aren’t blaming Lamar for the dismal end to the 05 season. He was injured for that stretch and that the Lakers completely fell apart without him is further proof of how vital he’s been to the team.

  19. sT says

    I saw that Kardashian TV show yesterday and LO and Khloe are looking for a house, but the one he was looking at cost as much as a years salary for him, so he passed on it. He will now be a part of TV life, I guess. I am very happy the Lakers re-signed him this year.