Odom Only a Rookie, but He’s Already Seen Enough

The Clippers (10-23) go into tonight’s game at the FleetCenter with more victories than they had last season, when they went 9-41, but rookie Lamar Odom is already tired of losing.

Odom, tied for the team lead in rebounding (7.8 per game) and second in scoring (17.1 points), has not yet written off this season, but he already has an eye on the future.

“The lack of success we are having, it is frustrating at times, but I think it’s a little bit of everything,” said Odom, who leads the league in disqualifications with eight. “This is what makes you a competitor. This is what makes you play.

“We have to make moves of progression. I don’t want to play this year and not make the playoffs and then have to start over again next season.”

Odom, 20, acknowledges he doesn’t have much patience when it comes to losing, and he’s hoping the Clippers will consider his opinion when it comes to turning the team around.

“If they show me they can make room for improvement and then keep making the right moves, it might be a long relationship between the Clippers and myself,” Odom said. “If not, it could be very brief. I may be one of the team’s youngest players, but basketball-wise, I may be one of the oldest. I want to win and I think they will have to listen to my input.”

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The key for tonight’s game may be how well the Clippers control Boston point guard Kenny Anderson’s penetration. In the team’s five-point loss at Cleveland on Monday, rookie Andre Miller hurt the Clippers going to the basket, finishing with 18 points and four assists.

“Our game plan was to go under the pick and roll,” point guard Troy Hudson said. “We went with it and it didn’t work too well.”

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After an early-season slump, swingman Tyrone Nesby has made 55.4% of his shots from the field in the last four games. Nesby has connected on 31 of his last 56 shots, including 10 three-point field goals.

TONIGHT

at Boston, 4 PST

* Site--FleetCenter.

* Radio--KXTA (1150).

* Records--Clippers 10-23, Celtics 14-19.

* Record vs. Celtics--1-0.

* Update--Boston will be looking to avenge a three-point loss to the Clippers at Staples Center on Dec. 26. Forward Antoine Walker has scored in double figures in 32 of 33 games this season and leads the Celtics in scoring at 19.6 points. Swingman Paul Pierce is averaging 19.2 points. Adrian Griffin, the Celtics’ starting rookie forward, was put on the injured list Monday because of a sprained right ankle. The Clippers will play three games in the next four days and five in the next seven.