Odom to replace Artest

DALLAS -- Lamar Odom said this morning he would replace Ron Artest, who was suspended for Game 3 tonight against the Dallas Mavericks. Lakers coach Phil Jackson would neither confirm nor deny Odom would be the one to fill in at small forward. Power forward Pau Gasol made a funny face when told by reporters that Odom would join him in the starting lineup. Odom said he last started as a small forward while with the Clippers in the early 2000s. Artest was suspended for a flagrant foul against J.J. Barea. The teaming of Odom with Gasol and Andrew Bynum gives the Lakers a really big front court, but makes them vulnerable to the Mavericks' speed in the back court. Let's see how it works.