Odom Progresses Quickly

He will not turn 20 until next month and his coach tells him almost every day he still has a lot to learn, but rookie Lamar Odom is already making a name for himself around the NBA.

Odom, drafted fourth overall from Rhode Island, needed only one exhibition game before taking over the starting small forward position from Tyrone Nesby, last season’s rookie standout.

In five exhibition games, Odom has been as versatile as he was billed. He has played point guard, shooting guard, power forward and small forward and is averaging 16 points, six rebounds and three assists.

Odom not only is putting up good numbers, but he has been doing it with style while learning the league.

“Lamar is making good strides, but there are moments when he is not really in total sync,” Coach Chris Ford said. “There is so much to learn in 28 days [of training camp] and he’s making good strides. . . . He has a natural flair and feel for the game. Fans will want to see him play and, more importantly, help us win games. . . . He makes it fun.”

Odom makes mistakes but not many. In his first exhibition game, he had 17 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals with only one turnover. He has started ever since.

Odom’s unselfishness fits well in the Clippers’ half-court offense.

“I just want us to be willing to make that extra pass,” Ford said. “I do not want guys taking bad shots. . . . We’re getting better. I think the guys are getting more aware.”

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Derek Anderson is another new player making a difference for the Clippers during the exhibition season. The team’s leading scorer is averaging 18 points, three assists, three rebounds and three steals.

“He does so many things well,” Ford said. “And I really like what he does on the defensive end of the floor. He knows how to rotate, he knows how to double-down on big guys and he’s always talking, always in motion.”

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The Clippers need to win at least two of their final three exhibition games to finish above .500 in the preseason for only the fourth time since 1978. They will play the Seattle SuperSonics at 3 p.m. today at Spokane, Wash., and then finish the exhibition season with games at Staples Center against Milwaukee on Wednesday and Golden State on Friday.