Another typical night for Lamar Odom in Los Angeles. Off the bench, he hit for 18 points, two 3-pointers, six rebounds, two assists and a steal in 23 minutes.
Except that was Lamar Odom circa 2008-11 down the hallway with the Lakers. His season-high for the Clippers in 2012-13 was 10 points, the only time he’s been in double figures.
“He had assists, he had rebounds. Matt Barnes said he went to the ‘Hot Tub Time Machine’ tonight,” guard Chris Paul said. “He came out there and was that Lamar Odom that everyone around here has learned to grow and love. With the spirit that he has, you have no choice but to be happy for him.”
If the Clippers’ bench wasn’t deep enough already, Odom may have just increased its potency.
“It’s unbelievable,” Blake Griffin said. “That’s the kind of scoring I remember from Lamar back when he was with the Lakers on the championship team, when he got Sixth Man of the Year, stuff like that. He’s so tough to stop because he’s so versatile.”
Time after time, teammates have urged him to shoot, or at least take a look at the rim, as Griffin put it. Odom welcomed the breakthrough.
“I’m starting to get my legs underneath me,” he said. “I’m just trying to stay at it, just work hard. I’m trying to fit in and do whatever I can do to help the win tonight.”