Odom’s Wrist Has Become Nagging Injury

Clipper forward Lamar Odom could be seen flexing his sprained right wrist at almost every play stoppage during the 1-5 trip through Philadelphia, Washington, New Jersey, Charlotte, Toronto and Minnesota.

“It’s sore,” he said after the Clippers’ loss Tuesday against the Timberwolves. “It hurts. I think we’ll get another MRI when we get home.”

Odom has undergone X-rays, which have been negative. Coach Alvin Gentry has said several times that rest is the only sure cure for what ails Odom, but doesn’t expect his most versatile player to take time off before the end of the season.

Odom said Tuesday almost any contact ignites the pain in his wrist, originally injured when he fell to the floor Dec. 16 against the Detroit Pistons. He sat out three games, but returned Jan. 2 and hasn’t been sidelined since.

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Odom on bouncing back to defeat the Raptors, the Clippers’ only victory on the trip, after squandering an eight-point lead with 1:25 left in regulation two nights earlier against the Hornets:

“You’ve got to let it go. It’s one of 82 games. It hurts, but you’ve got to be consistent and stay focused on the next game.”

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Among the overlooked statistics on the Clippers’ first lengthy trip of the season was their inability to meet their scoring average in any of the six games.

They were averaging more than 95 points when they left L.A. They’re at 94.6 now.

The best they could do was a 92-point effort in a 24-point loss to the 76ers.

They needed overtime to get to 91 points in an overtime loss to the Hornets. They also had a season-low 79 points in a seven-point victory over the Raptors.

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The Clippers’ road record is a paltry 3-13, with three trips of four games or more still left. They are 16-7 at Staples Center, however.

“If you look at some of the great teams of the past, they had an us-against-the-world attitude,” Gentry said.

“When they went into a hostile environment, it fueled their competitive juices and they banded together and came up with a win.”

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What’s next? The Clippers play four of their next five at Staples Center, starting with Friday’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. They reach the midway point of their 82-game schedule Saturday against the Trail Blazers at Portland.... The Clippers were given the day off Wednesday.

Elliott Teaford