Odom is back, Vujacic is out

Someone finally left the Lakers’ injured list instead of joining it.

Lamar Odom was back after a three-game absence, collecting 10 points, four rebounds and four assists in the Lakers’ 105-100 victory Tuesday over the Houston Rockets.

He had been sidelined because of a bone bruise in his right knee, but played 27 minutes against Houston, including almost 11 in the fourth quarter.

That’s the deal with the short-handed Lakers. There’s no rest for the weary, not to mention the recently injured.

“When you hurt something, it’s going to be sore,” Odom said. “I think it was a good time to come back, especially with Sasha being hurt. I’m a gamer.”

Oh, yeah, Sasha Vujacic.

Not all the medical news went the Lakers’ way, with Vujacic staying back in Los Angeles because of back spasms. He will not play tonight against San Antonio, a team spokesman said.

Vujacic is averaging six points and 1.6 assists a game.

Odom, who was averaging 8.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists before Tuesday’s game, went through a half-court scrimmage Monday in Los Angeles and felt like he was ready to play after the team’s Tuesday morning shoot-around in Houston.

He told Coach Phil Jackson not to put any restrictions on his playing time.

“As long as I don’t hurt the team,” Odom said.

Not Wafer-thin

Von Wafer started his seventh consecutive game for Houston, providing a career-best performance with 23 points against the team that drafted him in 2005 but let him go after one season.

“I was excited about playing against my former teammates, but I wasn’t going to try to do too much out of the ordinary,” said Wafer, averaging 9.2 points. “I just had it rolling.”

The Lakers drafted Wafer in the second round from Florida State, one round after taking Andrew Bynum and two spots after their other second-round choice, Ronny Turiaf, who was 37th overall.

Wafer, a 6-5 shooting guard, was waived by the Lakers in 2006. Over the next two seasons, he spent time with the Clippers, the Denver Nuggets, the Portland Trail Blazers and the Fort Worth Flyers and Colorado 14ers of the Development League.

Wafer signed a non-guaranteed contract with the Rockets last September and appears to have found a home. He has been starting while Tracy McGrady heals from a sore left knee.

“I told him during the game how I was proud of the way he’s been playing,” Kobe Bryant said. “He’s doing a fine job.”

Sun still struggling

The minutes were there for Sun Yue to absorb, but the playing time never really came.

Despite the absence of Vujacic and Jordan Farmar, still out after knee surgery, the rookie played only 2:53 against Houston. He did not compile any stats other than minutes in his short stint.

“I hate to put it in terms of last option, but he’s kind of like the last option,” Jackson said.

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Times staff writer Broderick Turner contributed to this report.

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mike.bresnahan@latimes.com