Odom Sits Out With Sprained Right Wrist

Forward Lamar Odom did not play Thursday against the Seattle SuperSonics, which was expected.

Odom aggravated his sprained right wrist in Wednesday’s loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. Darius Miles took his spot in the Clippers’ starting lineup Thursday.

The plan is for Odom to be sidelined for at least one game and perhaps two while his wrist heals.

He has been injured since taking a nasty fall Dec. 16 against the Detroit Pistons.

So far, nothing has helped.

“I’ve been treating it at home and before games and after practice and it’s not getting any better,” Odom said. “I’d rather sit out now than down the road when we’re making a run for the playoffs.”

Odom was sidelined for eight games earlier this season while serving a suspension for violating the terms of the NBA’s antidrug policy. He admitted to using marijuana.

“This is something we’ve got to stay on top of,” Coach Alvin Gentry said of Odom’s wrist. “If he could go two weeks without playing, it would probably give it time to get better. We’re having it X-rayed, among other things. It’s been an ongoing thing since the Detroit game.”

The Clippers also were without shooting guard Eric Piatkowski, who was sidelined because of a strained right hip for the 11th game in the last 12.

Gentry planned to use his reserve guards more against the SuperSonics.

He played starting point guard Jeff McInnis for 41 minutes against Philadelphia, which he believed was overdoing it. McInnis had eight points (on four-of-12 shooting) and four assists against the 76ers.

McInnis made only six of 18 shots against the SuperSonics but all seven free throws.

Gentry is growing weary talking about the Clippers’ need to play as strongly on the road as they have in winning 14 of 20 at Staples Center. They were 1-6 on the road before Thursday’s game.

“To me, everyone is making a big deal out of it,” he said. “We play the same teams on the road that we do at home. The last time I checked, we weren’t playing any Pac-10 teams.

“It doesn’t matter whether you play your first 41 games at home, then the next 41 on the road. You still have to play 41 at home and 41 on the road.”

The 76ers surprised Gentry by double-teaming Clipper center Michael Olowokandi, who scored a season-best 16 points on eight-of-15 shooting Wednesday. Olowokandi also had nine rebounds.

“And they never double-team anybody,” Gentry said, breaking into a laugh.