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Odom is asked to be a leader

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Bresnahan is a Times staff writer.

Phil Jackson has picked out a leader for the Lakers’ reserves: Lamar Odom.

They’ve been an erratic bunch lately, but Jackson hopes he has found a Secretary of the Second Unit.

“I’ve asked Lamar to take a bigger leadership role,” the Lakers coach said Sunday. “I kind of called him out on it, pointed out to him in the second half of the game the other night about his leadership on the floor [Friday against Washington].

“I know he’s got some wild guys out there with him at times and it’s hard. . . . It’s tough for me, let alone Lamar.”

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Odom was not happy about being removed by Jackson for unfocused play in the second half of the Lakers’ 106-104 victory over Washington, a snit that seemed all but forgotten by the time Sunday’s game against Milwaukee rolled around.

Both Jackson and Odom turned their attention to rehabbing the second unit, the primary culprit in coughing up so many large leads in recent games.

“We’ve had guys that come in and at times are looking to either pad their scoring average or try to play the up-tempo game when it’s not the right time,” Jackson said. “On the road, they’ve got to learn how to slow it down and exercise the options the offense gives . . . instead of just doing it off their speed and quickness and dribbling acumen.”

Odom said he would be up to the task of managing the second unit, though he had only three points and four rebounds in 22 minutes of the Lakers’ 105-92 victory over Milwaukee. None of the Lakers’ reserves finished in double-figure scoring.

“It happens,” Odom said. “We’ll get it back.”

To stimulate a more structured offense on the second unit, Jackson said he would leave Andrew Bynum with the reserves more often than Pau Gasol.

Jackson liked Gasol’s ability to settle the reserves, but he also noticed that the second unit, particularly Jordan Farmar, sought out Bynum for screen-and-roll opportunities.

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“I’m a little worried about their overall game, but it does help them offensively at some point to have Andrew set the screens for them,” Jackson said.

Sun finally rises

Rookie Sun Yue played for the first time this season, checking into Sunday’s game with 5:14 left in the fourth quarter and the Lakers ahead, 91-68.

He was greeted by a warm ovation but committed three fouls and a turnover in his slightly more than a minute before settling down.

Sun scored his first NBA points on a 16-footer with 1:34 to play and added a layup on the next possession, much to the delight of fans.

He finished with four points and four fouls.

“It was an auspicious beginning for Sun,” Jackson said.

Sun took the place of Luke Walton, who on the inactive list because of flu-like symptoms. Walton skipped the morning shoot-around and was sent home from Staples Center shortly after arriving at the game.

Bruins brewing

Four former UCLA players took part in Sunday’s game: Farmar, Trevor Ariza, Milwaukee center Dan Gadzuric and Bucks rookie Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, who was drafted 37th overall last June.

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Mbah a Moute had the most points of them all, scoring 14 for the Bucks.

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mike.bresnahan@latimes.com

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