Odom Relishes Latest Challenge

Vancouver forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim dominated the Clippers last season. In leading the Grizzlies to a 3-1 record over the Clippers, Abdur-Rahim averaged 27.8 points and 7.3 rebounds.

Rookie Lamar Odom got off to a fast start, but now he’s finding out the NBA is the real deal. Every night, someone different, someone good. Tonight, his assignment is Abdur-Rahim when the Clippers play at Vancouver.

Odom would have it no other way.

“That’s the best part about [being in the NBA],” he said. “Every night you’re going against somebody who is going to make you bring it. That’s when competitors compete.”

Odom faced Abdur-Rahim in the teams’ exhibition game and he has a game plan to help offset the Grizzlies’ leading scorer.

“In order for them to win he has to score,” Odom said of Abdur-Rahim. “But with a player like him, who is so dominant, you always want to make him work on every end of the court. . . . I’m going to really concentrate on running the floor and for him having to have to find me.”

Thanks to the trade that sent Steve Francis to Houston, Vancouver has a different look with Michael Dickerson at shooting guard and Othella Harrington in the middle. But Abdur-Rahim is still the key.

“I don’t think we’ve been able in my time here, to get him under wraps,” Clipper Coach Chris Ford said. “He’s an exciting young player who can do a lot of things on the basketball court. We can’t let him run wild out there.”

*

Going into today’s games, the combined record of the four teams who have defeated the Clippers this season is 18-6. San Antonio, Seattle and Portland each were 5-1 and Utah 3-3.

Tonight

at Vancouver, 6

* Site--General Motors Place.

* Radio--KXTA (1150).

* Records--Clippers 1-4, Grizzlies 2-3.

* Record vs. Grizzlies (1999)--1-3.

* Update--Last season, Maurice Taylor was the Clippers’ leading scorer and averaged 20.5 points and 10.1 rebounds against Vancouver. This season, he’s third on the team in scoring at 18.2 points and fourth in rebounding at 5.2. Abdur-Rahim leads the Grizzlies in scoring (21.2) and rebounding (10.8).