Odom Makes All-Star Bid

In the league’s most recent all-star voting, Lamar Odom ranked 10th among forwards in the Western Conference. It’s doubtful that Odom will make up enough ground to gain one of the two starting positions before the Feb. 11 game, which will be held at MCI Center in Washington.

But that doesn’t mean Odom shouldn’t be an all-star. Odom is on pace to pull off a six-pack in leading the Clippers in points (15.5), rebounds (7.9), assists (4.8), minutes played (36.7), blocked shots (1.89) and steals (1.15), an NBA rarity when done in the same season.

Odom has one triple-double and nine double-doubles but truly is at his best when the game is on the line. His dominating fourth quarter (eight points, two blocked shots) in the Clippers’ victory over Minnesota on Wednesday was one of many this season.

Odom led the Clippers (9-18) to late comeback wins over Orlando and Washington and into overtime in losses to Miami, Phoenix and Utah.

“The bottom line is that no matter what play we draw up or defense we call, players have to make plays,” Coach Alvin Gentry said. “And Lamar Odom has been stepping up making plays on offense and defense.”

Odom is far from a perfect player. He turns the ball over too much (team-leading 3.8 times a game), his free-throw shooting is below average (68.5%), and he relies too much on his dominant left hand, but he’s getting better as an overall player.

An all-star starter? Probably not. The Clippers’ first all-star reserve since Danny Manning’s 1996 appearance? Odom definitely has a chance.

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The Clippers have made dunking a special part of their game, and rookie Darius Miles leads the team with 35. He is followed by Corey Maggette (15), Quentin Richardson and Michael Olowokandi (12 each) and Keyon Dooling (10).

Of the dunkers, Dooling has been the biggest surprise. His first-half dunk over Minnesota big man Rasho Nesterovic on Wednesday ranks close to slams over Atlanta’s Dikembe Mutombo and around the Lakers’ Mike Penberthy earlier this season.

But Dooling has also shown the ability to make big plays that are not dunks.

“To me, he’s really not just a point guard. He can play more than one spot,” said Clipper assistant Dennis Johnson, a standout guard for 14 NBA seasons. “He’s an all-purpose guard. I think I was like that. A guy who can play the one or the two spot. A person who can shoot when you need him to shoot but can also handle the point. He is just moving along.

“Keyon has made big-time strides. . . . Remember the exhibition game against Seattle when Gary Payton just went at him? The last time Keyon played Gary it was a different story. He was much more confident, and that has come from time spent on the floor.”